Irish Penetration
According to the Irish Post, the Irish vote in this country at the time of the last General Election went mainly to support the Labour Party. Now it is reported in the London Times that a Hammersmith Councillor, Paul Dwyer, has obtained from the Tory Central Office their blessing for the setting up of an Irish Conservative Association to win over the Irish vote. At present the movement is on a very modest scale and concerns itself with questions of local government such as housing and education, but it is hoped that its activities will be expanded and that it will attract ‘names you will recognise’ by the time the Association is fully launched, probably early next year. When it is recognised that there are living in Britain today about two million Irish immigrants and people of Irish descent, of which the Hammersmith Councillor claims to be one, none should underestimate the significance of this latest move. Already it is claimed that there are more than half a million Irish people in the Manchester and Liverpool area, strong enough to make their influence felt and even become decisive in some Parliamentary seats. Most of the Irish population, living on this side of the Irish Sea, are from Roman Catholic Eire, and bring with them the papal superstitions and ingrained, unreasoning religious hatreds, imbibed from “Holy Mother Church” in that priest-ridden land. Rome with her usual opportunism is ready to side with any and every Political Party in power in order to further the interests of the papacy. We may soon see Irish papal grievances of an alien nation and people imported into the politics of this country. Irish immigration organisations in Britain are behind the Civil Rights agitation in Northern Ireland. Their leaders make no secret of the aims which animate their actions — to organise the Irish vote in this country, and to re-open the partition issue. One of their leaders has stated that “the partition issue is still the root cause of the trouble in Six Counties”. Rome knows no compromise. Till the true cause of Ulster’s troubles is recognised by our political leaders, there can be no peace either.
C.
Common Market Issue
Signs are multiplying throughout the country that opposition to Britain’s entry into the Common Market is hardening. The fact that we have in charge of the negotiations in Brussels in Mr Rippon an energetic minister who goes beyond the Prime Minister in his zeal for Europe and has adopted in Parliament a blustering manner in his attitude towards his work, cannot conceal the truth of this remark. The ordinary people have for a long time now noted the ominous turn the affairs of the European Community have taken. The very name of the document which governs the whole life and work of the Community and which in spite of the deceitful claims made by the advocates of entry that Britain, once admitted into the Community, can work for changes in its terms, is unalterable, namely “The Treaty of Rome” should itself have been sufficient warning. The partners in the Market are predominantly papal in their governments, and some have always been Protestant Britain’s greatest enemies. The Vatican has now appointed a Diplomatic Representative in Brussels to the European Community, and among the 80 or so countries so represented, he has been accredited the place of precedence, and is accepted as the “doyen of the diplomatic corps”. General de Gaulle was against this appointment and in his day every move in this direction was defeated. In Brussels it was pointed out in criticism of the appointment that “one of the most profitable subterfuges in the Common Market is to ‘export’ goods from Italy to the Vatican, so getting the generous export subsidies”. The Vatican, therefore, keeps her eye on worldly advantage, while guarding and extending her privileges and religious and political power through the Common Market. And now the Vatican is giving earnest thought to the appointment of a ‘madonna’ to the Common Market. These are unmistakable trends. Britain should keep out. May the Lord again answer the prayers of the Lord’s people throughout the country by defeating the present negotiations for entry.
C.
Entry Opposed
The latest public body to come out in uncompromising condemnation of Britain’s attempts to enter the Common Market is the Commission of Assembly of the Church of Scotland. At a meeting held in September the Commission considered the Report of the influential Church and Nation Committee of the Church which in a lengthy document favoured continuing negotiations with a view to entry on favourable terms. This Report was regarded as of great importance since the General Assembly had empowered the Commission to make the decision on the question of Britain’s entry on the Assembly’s behalf. After a series of votes were taken, the final decision was arrived at by a majority of two — 233 to 231, that all negotiations for entry should be broken off. This decision was mainly the work of Lord MacLeod of Fuinary, whose unsparing attack on the Common Market won over the Commission. Lord MacLeod’s main argument was based on Britain’s ties with the Commonwealth, which he declared would be severed for ever if Britain went into the Community. He concluded: “Let us look again to our Commonwealth, settled round the throne, with its 28 states, and 22 of which are coloured. The Commonwealth is the hope of the Third World. The beginning of the real road to universal peace.” He was ably seconded by Rev. John R. Gray of Dunblane who criticised the economic reasons for entry, improvement in trade and raising of living standards. The Church should be concerned, he said, with the Christian message of Salvation and the condition of the poor. “The European Economic Community is a squalid conspiracy on the part of the rich to become richer and exploit the poor.” The final decision defines the official position of the Church of Scotland on this important question, which urges the Government that as Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community ‘cannot change the substance and essential nature of the community as it now constitutionally exists, and being convinced that to enter would be harmful to the best interests of Britain, the Commonwealth and the peace of the world, urge Her Majesty’s Government to break off all negotiations for entry’. The statement goes on to add that a new approach should be made to the Commonwealth countries, so as to encourage unimpeded trade with Britain. It is heartening to see public bodies such as the National Church of Scotland at last taking up this strong position against the fatal step of entry to the Common Market by our country.
C.
From Dance Floor to Eternity
To be suddenly ushered into God’s presence is the last thought of young people occupied in the light-hearted enjoyment of the dance. Yet at St. Laurent du Pont in France, on Sabbath evening, 1st November, this was the tragic fate which overtook more than one hundred young men and women — the total death roll in the tragedy being one hundred and forty five — when fire engulfed the dance hall in which they were assembled. What could be more unlike preparation for eternity than to be engaged in such an occupation, and on such a day! May the warning of this tragic event be taken to heart by the many careless young men and women in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and in our cities and towns, who, heedless of the warnings of God’s Word, seek their pleasure in the empty enjoyment of the dance floor. This event is a renewed call to us all — “Prepare to meet thy God.”
Opposition to the Stern Doctrines of God’s Word
From time to time one finds in religious books, and even in those of an evangelical kind, opposition expressed by writers to certain doctrines of God’s Word. A recent example of this is a book entitled “God and One Redhead,” sub-title Mary Slessor of Calabar, written by co-authoresses Carol Christian and Gladys Plummer. One of our ministers who has read the book comments: “The book is well enough written and gives a graphic account of day to day life on the mission field as far as general things go. In the field of religion, however, the book manifests a hatred to the stern doctrines of the Word of God.” This warning should be sufficient to discourage our people from purchasing the book.
Anglican Archbishop of Sydney under attack
The Rev. Marcus Loane, Archbishop of Sydney, has come under fierce criticism for his refusal to worship with the Pope at an ecumenical service scheduled to take place in Sydney on the 2nd of December. One of his critics described him as “theologically incorrect and ecumenically myopic.” The Sydney newspaper, The Sun, strongly attacked the decision in an editorial. As might be expected, the attitude of the Archbishop is anathema to everywhere. The Archbishop, however, who is well aware of the fundamental differences which separate Roman Catholic and Protestant beliefs is not likely to be greatly moved by the ecumenical rantings of his critics. His stand is to be commended. Would that his example was followed by other English Church dignatories!