The Pope’s Latest Official Pronouncement on the Sabbath.
According to the Romanist organ “The Tablet,” of 17th November, 1951:—”Pope Pius XII received last week-end a hundred sporting correspondents of the newspapers from thirteen European countries who had been meeting in Rome. He said—”The Church understands perfectly the need for a city man to go out on Sunday for sport. Also, the Church smiles with pleasure at the sight of the family, parents and children, going out together for their recreation and their pleasure in the open air of the good God. The Church does not forbid Sunday sport, but rather does she consider it with benevolence, on condition that there remains the regard for Sunday as the day of the Lord, and the day for bodily and spiritual relaxation.”
“The Catholic Times” (16th November, 1951) states:—”The Pope’s remarks were made to Catholic sports writers, of whom there are a number attached to British papers. Among the outstanding ones may be mentioned Bernard Joy, whose name flies through London streets on “The Star” vans; and Frank Butler, famous as a boxing commentator. In Scotland, William Brogan, brother of the famous Colm Brogan, is a “Daily Express” expert.”
Thus papists everywhere are feverishly active in promoting the sport—and pleasure madness of this lawless generation, while some nominal Protestants, whose indiscriminate charity runs riot, do not like the Pope described as “The man of sin and son of perdition.”—J. P. MacQueen.
“Our Lady of Fatima.”
In the November issue of the “Gospel Witness and Protestant Advocate,” a Canadian periodical, there is a description of certain Roman Catholic processions in the Province of Ontario which remind one of the Dark Ages.
The centre of interest in these processions appears to have been a large wooden image called the “Statue of Our Lady of Fatima.” By the superstitious dupes making up the procession this image is believed to be a representation of the Mother of Jesus, alleged to have appeared at a place called Fatima. This image was evidently regarded with the utmost veneration by the large numbers of people attending the procession. With great ceremony it was carried into the Roman Catholic Church of St. John’s, Glenelg, where it was enshrined and crowned by the pastor of the congregation. A series of devotional exercises followed, including the celebration of Mass, at which a large number of the followers received the Sacraments of Penance (whatever that may mean) and Holy Communion. The Roman Catholic authorities arranged that the statue should continue to play its part as a money raising scheme in the various districts of Ontario over a period of some months and it appears that scenes of great religious fervour have accompanied its progress from place to place.
To account for such superstitious imbecility there can be only one satisfactory explanation—”God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” How awful!
Although in many respects we have no cause for complacency in Scotland to-day, yet in comparison with those countries where such scenes as those are a common feature of everyday life, what cause for thankfulness to the Lord we have. Let us recall with deep gratitude our indebtedness to Reformation times for the Protestant heritage we have inherited; preserved for us in its purity by the blood and suffering of our Covenanting forefathers. May it be given to us Free Presbyterians to prize highly the outward form of Scriptural worship which we adhere to, seeking earnestly that by the blessing of God the simple Gospel of a Crucified Saviour become the power of God unto salvation to us. That is no delusion!