In the European Community Affairs debate (Hansard, 27/11/73), it was made abundantly clear that economic and monetary union by 1980 was the Government’s objective. This would be followed by political union, itself a further step to the declared ultimate aim of world government. Herr Brandt, a former Communist Party member, who has stated that all Common Market countries should lose their monarchies, is a keen proponent of a federal-type European Government exercising control over economic, monetary and foreign affairs, also defence. It is well to recollect that, since the fall of the Roman Empire, there have been numbers of attempts to form a united Europe, all of which have been associated with the Vatican and have ended in blood and chaos.
English Churchman.
Italy
Perhaps it is time to remind our people of our missionary contact with the North of Italy. I think it is best done by quoting, as before, from letters received from our friends there. Both the letters from which I quote below were written by the grandmother — the mother of Emilia. The first was written in December.
“Now I will tell you what the priest from Pontell’ania did. (That is the little village next to Fornaci.) One morning he came into Renzo’s class, and asked if any boy had a Bible. Renzo, who had a New Testament, showed it to him. This fine specimen of a Catholic looked at it, then said to him in a low voice, ‘This is not good. It is Protestant. Burn it.’ Then he asked him, ‘Who gave it to you?’ Renzo replied, ‘My grand-mother.’ There it ended. His mother does not want him to take it out of his school-bag, and tells him not to be ashamed; it is the word of the Lord, inspired by God.”
This second letter was written at the end of January. The grandmother is referring here to the tape they had received, containing a short address on Ruth 1: 16-17. In the first part of the letter she spoke of difficulty in hearing the tape because the voice was very faint — the batteries were presumably done by this time. She went on to explain how they discovered they could run the tape recorder from the electricity mains supply. This obviously produced a marked improvement:
“How wonderful! We heard it so clearly that it seemed as if we were just beside you. I must say that if I had read the book of Ruth even many times without having listened to the sermon I would not have understood much. That is, I would not have understood the significance of it. But after your explanation we understood this little book very well, and how Ruth was steadfast in her decision to follow Naomi and to leave the idols so as to live always in the Christian faith.
O Lord, help us always and do not let us wander from the Holy Truth, for I believe there is help in Thee alone, and this I have proved by experience.
In times of great distress, because of ill-health or for other reasons, I have turned to the Most High and have been comforted. It is not that He has had regard to my sinful person, but He has had mercy on us because I go to Him through His Son, Jesus, to whom he denies nothing.”
I would like again to ask our people to pray for these Italian friends. May the Lord keep them, and bless the little that is being done for them!
I would especially ask for prayer, as my wife and I expect to return to Fornaci di Barga for a few weeks in April. May our visit be used to the glory of the Most High! J.T.