Scottish Fellowship Having Contact With R.C. Church
What is called the Fellowship of St. Andrew was founded four years ago. Its members meet in Edinburgh and apparently hold a conference now and again. Recently they held a conference in Edinburgh, the Chairman being the Rev. John B. Logan, minister of Cranstown, Craigton and Ford, Church of Scotland. The conference included members of the Church of Scotland, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Baptist, and Congregational Churches, and the Society of Friends. Members stated that as long as Christians did not spend their time in theoretical discussions about their differences, they could worship together and work in harmony in the everyday world, serving their fellow men.” This expresses one side of the now familiar propaganda to influence Protestant people to set aside their basic religious beliefs in order to meet and confer with Anglicans and Roman Catholics and others who are at heart anti-Protestant. How can Protestant Presbyterians and Baptists, for instance, worship and work in harmony with Roman Catholics and members of the Russian Orthodox Church, in a way consistent with Scriptural and Protestant beliefs, while laying aside fundamental differences? Such worship must inevitably be limited, vague and devoid of the substance of what we conceive to be true Scriptural and Spiritual worship. And Roman Catholics on their side will certainly not be involved to any extent in what deviates from their dogma and practice. True worship offered to God must not be denuded of what God requires in order that men may compromise with the other. And similarly, nothing must be added thereto. The Roman Catholic Church looks on while such Fellowships and conferences carry on their activities; and all the while remains adamant in holding to its many unscriptural and superstitious dogmas and practices, having in view the bringing of people from the Church of Scotland, the Baptist Church and others, into the fold of Papal Rome. The Rev. John B. Logan said their aim was to seek guidance in Christian living. But we are sure the aim of Roman Catholics went far beyond that as their objective. This Fellowship of St. Andrew, we consider, is just another tool forged to break down Protestantism and advance the designs of Rome.
Government Action Against Immoral Literature
Mr Geoffrey Rhodes (Lab.—Newcastle East) demanded in the House of Commons recently that the Government must take action to deal with and curb the publication and sale of pornographic literature which was reaching young readers and endangering their morals. Mr Rhodes had made personal investigations in Newcastle and also in Soho, London. He stated that Sales were spreading throughout the country. And the Attorney-General agreed that this evil matter was becoming “big business.” He also said that the Customs Authorities had done a great deal as far as imported literature is concerned; and that they and the police had prevented the distribution of much of this dangerous material. On one occasion the police had seized eight tons of magazines. It is a relief indeed to learn that the Government and officials are awake to this terrible menace. Truly, the devil is active today, and through human and depraved agents, seeks to destroy the morals of our Nation. The above method is but one of many. The gates of hell are open and floods therefrom are permeating our once Christian Nation. The godfearing today, indeed “cry and sigh for the abominations done in the land.”
Bible Distribution in Japan
We understand that figures just released in Tokyo, Japan, show 1964 distribution of Bibles and portions of the Bible totalled four million copies, the highest number yet in Japan. Those who profess the Christian faith in that land number less than one per cent. of the population. The Lord is reigning over distribution of His own Word, as over all other things to the fulfilling of His purposes among the Nations of the World. His Word shall not return unto Him void, but it shall accomplish what He pleases and prosper in the thing whereto He hath sent it, in the very midst of the paganism of Japan. Let the Japanese read the Word of God, and that is the very means which the Spirit of God employs to make ignorant sinners wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
The British Medical Association and Alcohol
At the meeting of the British Medical Association in Swansea last July, a discussion on alcoholism took place. The generality of people may not, today, pay much attention to what Christians may say or write upon the subject of Alcoholism, its increase in Britain, and the disastrous effects it is having. But we would think that reasonable people in all sections of the Nation and especially those in authority and positions of government, should give very serious consideration to what responsible, knowledgeable medical men have to assert and make public regarding alcoholism. We give the following report of the British Medical Association, from The Scotsman:—
Alcoholism “Emergency.”
A discussion on alcoholism ended with the doctors passing resolutions asking the Government to give £250,000 for education on alcohol, for industry to give more, for 30 early-treatment centres for alcoholics to be set up and for local health authorities to build “half-way houses” for the after-care of people who had had hospital treatment for alcoholism.
Dr. Basil Merriman, honorary medical director of the Carter Foundation for the Treatment of Alcoholism and consultant on alcoholism at Pentonville and Holloway prisons, described the situation as a “national emergency.” Alcoholism was “the largest single cause of break-up in homes, delinquency in children, and minor criminal acts.”
Alcoholics were “cluttering up the prisons,” he said. “We saw the other day how maximum security applied to these people is affecting the safeguarding of professional criminals. And on the other side of the fence you have the alcohol industry spending, I think, £30 million on advertising the fact that alcohol is good for you,” he added.
In the above observations by the doctors, the one regarding £30 million being spent on telling the public that alcohol is good for you, reveals an appalling situation. When we consider the nature and extent of the evil effects of regular drinking, drunkenness and alcoholism, it seems criminal to spend any money at all in using the press to encourage young people as well as others to drink habitually. Then more and more police are required, and more and more places in prisons and hospitals are needed to deal with the effects of alcohol. There is one ugly fact, among others, behind all this — the taxation that the British Government receives in connection with the sale of alcohol. Truly we need that God would bring us as a generation to be sober and vigilant over the activities of our adversary the devil.
Another Search For Noah’s Ark
There have been a series of expeditions during the last hundred years organised to search for Noah’s Ark on “The mountains of Ararat.” Recently another expedition set out on the same search, under the leadership of a Mr John Libi with a 10-man party from America. This recent report just states that the expedition reached an altitude of 12,000 feet on Mount Ararat in Eastern Turkey, but was held up by the illness of Mr Libi and a sudden snowstorm.
The Bible narrative refers to the Ark resting upon “the mountains of Ararat,” not “Mount” Ararat. Whether this makes any difference to planning such a search, we would not venture to say. The mention of the Ark of course recalls “that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” The need for and the provision of the Ark by the Lord for Noah and his family and two of every living thing, was on account of what the Lord said and did; viz., “And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them.” (Genesis, chap. vi). In the ungodly and perilous times in which we live, men individually have need to examine themselves as to whether like Noah, they have found grace in the eyes of the Lord and have an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom alone sinners are saved from the floods of God’s wrath. Having said this, we are on the other hand deeply interested in the many wonderful discoveries which have been brought to light, and which have confirmed again and again Biblical history, to the dismay of modernists and critics of the Old Testament. Yet although many confirmations of Biblical history are obtained by the activities of archaeologists, we rely solely on the Holy Scriptures themselves as the Word of God, inspired and infallible, believing that their record is truth and from God.
Tests For Drunken Drivers
The Government are carrying out research into the use of what is called “breathalyser apparatus”; this apparatus to be employed by the Police in due course, if approved. By this means it is hoped to test cases as to the amount and measure of alcohol drivers have in their blood, and if in excess of what may be laid down by law, then such may be charged before the Courts. It has been stated as an obvious fact, that the more a car-driver consumes of alcoholic drink the more likely he is to have an accident. In face of this, press reports reveal that the Courts are continually dealing with drunk drivers. Behind all this, there is the drive by Distillers, especially in Scotland, to produce more and more strong drink and to build more and more distilleries. The amount of money spent by them on advertising in all sections of the press and in magazines must be great indeed. Some of these advertisements portray young men and women drinking the commodity recommended. This is an inducement to young people, who nowadays are driving the majority of the cars on our roads, to conclude that it is the smart and fashionable practice to take a drink in company with others. The advertisements do not warn people to be careful about drinking if they are to be involved in driving. The drinking habit is general and rife today among the young. Public-houses are now augmented, even in small towns, by Clubs of one kind or another, which are just places to sell and buy intoxicating liquor. And as the saying is: “Everyone has a car today.” And so drinking and driving are with us, and also the accidents and many deaths on the roads. This situation is a feature of national backsliding and a general departure from the Word of God and its teaching and influence.