American Diplomatic Relations with the Vatican.
During last October it was reported in the press that President Truman had decided to re-appoint a diplomatic representative to the Vatican. General Mark Clark was nominated. Even Dr. Edward Prouden, Mr. Truman’s own pastor at Washington’s First Baptist Church, made a pulpit protest. Other Protestants in America have vigorously manifested their objections. The nomination of the General will not be confirmed for some time as it has to be approved by the American Senate. The Roman Catholic Church in U.S.A. is undoubtedly behind this move. We trust the President will think again and retract from his decision. If (we don’t say he is) he is seeking Roman Catholic votes at the next Presidential Election by this un-Protestant procedure, he may lose a good many Protestant votes.
Illiteracy in Italy.
In the land of the Pope, the priest and the Vatican, the nerve centre of Roman Catholicism, 10 per cent. of Italy’s 46 million people are unable to read or write. So writes a correspondent from Rome, to the Glasgow Herald of 23rd October, 1951. We briefly note this as a modern fact which exposes to view the backwardness of the Pope’s land as to the first rudiments of education. The same 10 per cent. well know how to observe the blasphemy of the Mass; but in modern Italy, if these millions had a Bible put into their hands they could not read it. Space will not allow further comment.
Dean Inge Again Anti-Bible.
Dr. W. R. Inge, former Dean of St. Paul’s, in an article in the London Evening Standard of 5th October, on the B.B.C. Hymn Book, writes these unscriptural words, viz., ” . . . the Lutheran doctrine of the utter damn-worthiness of all men and women, owing (in some incomprehensible way) to Adam’s fall is no longer held by intelligent persons.” And so the aging and once religious leader of St. Paul’s Cathedral, continues to pour out the utter unbelief of his heart respecting the doctrines of God’s Word. Men who were never converted may express many a strange and dangerous view from under the cloak of a Doctor of Divinity, as part of spiritual judgment upon a generation.
“A King’s Story,” by the Duke of Windsor.
Many reviewers of this recently published book, by the Duke of Windsor, have emphasised the fact that it was only towards the end of his kingship that he began to realise the implications of the British Constitution, relative to a morganatic marriage, but the book shows clearly that the implications of the Tenth Commandment have not even yet dawned on the Royal author. It is to be feared that this lack of understanding is due, to a great extent, to a misconception of duty, not only on the part of the ministers of religion more immediately and officially connected with the Royal family, but on the part of ministers of the Gospel generally. While it is the clear and definite duty of every British subject and citizen to render unquestioning loyalty to our constitutional monarchy, uncompromising faithfulness in rebuking the sins of Royalty, on the part of ministers of the Gospel, is perfectly consistent with such loyalty. What the Duke of Windsor, for instance, repeatedly refers to as “the woman I loved,” while she was yet the undivorced wife of her former husband, is actually the sin of covetousness, and therefore a breach of the Tenth Commandment, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife.” Though his faithfulness, in this connection, ultimately cost him his life, John the Baptist did not hesitate to rebuke and denounce King Herod, notwithstanding the imperial purple of royalty: “It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife” (Mark vi. 18). Bishop Latimer likewise faithfully and loyally rebuked King Henry VIII in a sermon on the Seventh Commandment, while the faithful rebuke of Rev. Andrew Melville to King James VI of Scotland (and James I of England), is a well-known incident in Scottish history.