A Woman Deplores Women Elders
It appears that Church of Scotland Presbyteries are again discussing and voting on the question of women Elders being introduced into their Church. The Edinburgh Presbytery voted by a good majority in favour of congregations electing women to the office of Elder at a recent meeting. It is significant to read, following upon the aforesaid decision, that Mrs Elizabeth Whitley, wife of the Rev. Harry Whitley, minister of St. Giles’, strongly disapproved of the decision of the Presbytery of Edinburgh. She expressed the fear that this might bring the Eldership down to the level of a mixed woman’s guild. We are of the opinion that but a small minority of women strongly support the campaign to make this office available to women.
Southern Rhodesia
At the time of writing, Southern Rhodesia has been much in the news. Our special interest in Southern Rhodesia is of course on account of our Church’s foreign mission being situated there. Mr Ian Smith, the Premier of Rhodesia, has been threatening to declare his country independent, irrespective of the views of the British Government opposed to such action. Now Mr Smith has been to London at the beginning of October for discussions with the British Government and Mr Wilson, the British Prime Minister. He refused to agree to the five principal points set down by the British Government, for the present and future government of all the people living in Southern Rhodesia. One of these points was: “Union-aided progress to majority rule.” There is much injustice undoubtedly meted out to Africans in Southern Rhodesia by the White Government or by virtue of the fact that they rule. There are problems and difficulties. For instance, we understand that the politically-minded Africans are divided among themselves. And it is asserted, with some reason, that the Africans are not nearly ready for the task of governing the country. And it seems that the Africans, given power, would not readily agree to share government with Europeans. But we trust that the Lord will in His kind providence prevent anything being done by Mr Ian Smith’s Government which will cause strife, more animosity between Africans and Europeans, and even bloodshed. African Christians and European Christians, of course, look at such matters principally from the Scriptural and Christian point of view, although the Christian may well have considered views upon political issues. It is to be hoped that the work of the Church and gospel activities among the needy Africans by our European and African staff will not be impeded or adversely affected by what politicians may do. May the Lord Jesus Christ protect His Cause in these foreign parts in His divine mercy.
R.C. Bishops Plead for the Poor
It was reported from Vatican City on October 6th that an Archbishop from India proposed the creation of a special office in Rome to encourage help for the under-privileged, Christian and non-Christian alike. During discussion of a draft decree, “The Church in the Modern World,” the decree was criticised by Bishop Joseph Hoeffner of Muenster, on behalf of 80 German-speaking bishops. He said the document was unclear on questions such as agriculture and monetary policy. “Pious exhortations do not help much in economic life, and the text is full of them,” he said. Another Bishop called for “a campaign of education . . . to arouse concern over world poverty.” We read these statements and think of the untold and unrevealed wealth of the Roman Church. Little or nothing of this is allocated to the poor as far as we know. The Civil War in Spain, prior to the last World War, arose on account of lack of educational privileges and poverty, etc. The Church of Rome rules there. A few million pounds from Vatican coffers might help the poor of Spain. And if the R.C. Church would cease to demand money for every religious service rendered to their own poor people, this might give a little needed relief to quite a number. No financial statements are ever published by the Church of Rome. It would be interesting to learn just how great a sum the said Church could, with ease, release for the benefit of the poor. The Bishops would do well to demand from the Vatican millions of pounds to be allocated to some specific purpose helpful to poor and underprivileged peoples. There would be no need for the creation of a special office in Rome.