Lord Kilmuir and Crime Among Young People.
The United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders, met in London on 8th August. Opening the Congress, Lord Kilmuir, The Lord Chancellor, stated that crime has been and is increasing in many countries. He said, “Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this situation is the disproportionate increase of crime among young people.” His further comment on this is significant, viz., “This is happening, at least so far as concerns this country, at a time of unexampled economic prosperity, when unemployment is negligible, and our educational and social welfare services have reached a high stage of development.” From these factual statements it is quite clear to us that a fundamental cause of all this serious trouble is just the lack of the Bible in the homes of Britain and a widespread and complete disregard to its teaching on the part of present-day parents—an evil legacy handed down by grandparents. The authorities of Nations concerned can write ‘failure’ over all their proposals and schemes unless they definitely consult the Word of God, and seek actively to influence others to do the same.
Mr Selwyn Lloyd Questioned About Spain.
The former Foreign Secretary, Mr Selwyn Lloyd, after his talks with the Spanish Foreign Minister in July, was questioned in Parliament. He stated that he did raise the question of the Protestants in Spain, with particular reference to British-owned chapels, and the British and Foreign Bible Society. One M.P., asked why he had not discussed personal and political freedom. From these but brief references we see clearly that the wicked and deplorable condition of the dark ages prevails in Spain in 1960. Spain today is just the other evil extreme from Communist rule—the Pope instead of the Kremlin.
Abbey Service for the Late Aneurin Bevan.
We agree that the late Mr Aneurin Bevan, M.P., was a most outstanding personality in the realm of politics. But when we read that there was to be a memorial service in Westminster Abbey for him, we wondered what form it would take. Now we know. The Bishop of Southwark, “made it different by choosing a sermon text not from the Bible, but from Bevan’s book ‘In Place of Fear.'” The Bishop among other things said, “Aneurin Bevan hated humbug and he would not wish me to pretend that he was other than he was—a humanist and an agnostic.” An agnostic! This is what we previously thought he was. And we still wonder, because we have no further information, what kind of prayers were offered by the professed Christian Bishop in the Abbey, which is the world centre of Anglican Christianity. We also wonder if there was any part of Holy Scripture read and what part? Many years ago the same procedure was adopted regarding Keir Hardie; and one writer observed then, that church dignatories forced upon Keir Hardie, in his death, what he repudiated in his life. But of course the Bishop in this case may have emptied the whole Service of Christian doctrine, admitting as he did that Bevan was an agnostic. What a perversion of the supposed Christian ministry. The Bible at any rate was ignored for a text. What deplorable conduct, even in Westminster Abbey! The congregation was at one stage called upon to remember before God Aneurin Bevan. This was too late according to the sound doctrine of the Word of God. What a mixture of a service!
A Roman Catholic Bloc.
An interesting article appeared in “The Daily Mail,” by Geoffrey Wakeford, on the question if Mr Kennedy is elected
President of the United States, and being a Roman Catholic—would he head a Roman Catholic bloc, dominating Europe, etc. Of course the article is heavily weighted on the side of Rome. We note the following points—Britain is said to be the “odd man out,” and long may she be that and free from the R.C. influence of de Gaulle, Adenauer and the Italian Premier Tambroni. Scandinavia, Iceland, Greece and Turkey are also outside the Roman influence. Referring to Communism, Wakeford re-stated the threadbare but empty argument that the Church of Rome is regarded as its main opponent. We ask: What has the Church of Rome done to keep Communism out of Italy and France and now Cuba? The fact is that where the priests rule Communism seems to thrive. Italy is full of Communism and so the Pope personally and the Vatican must be miserable antidotes to Communism. Take the ecclesiastical and military heel from off the oppressed people of Spain, and the certain reaction would be, not necessarily Communism, but anti-clericalism and activity for social advancement.