Euthanasia
The campaign to have euthanasia legalised is well under way. Articles are constantly being written with arguments for and against this practice, and as the prevailing tone of many of these articles is in favour of euthanasia it is clear that public opinion is being gradually acclimatised to the acceptance without demur of this horrific practice. A book published recently by a retired surgeon has given added momentum to the campaign.
As abortion has already been legalised in this country the legalising of euthanasia should come as a surprise to no one. A society which has so abandoned compassion for the fruit of the womb as to secure that it does not come to the birth can have little compunction in terminating the life of the elderly or infirm when that life appears to them to be serving no manifestly useful purpose.
The depths of degradation to which we have sunk as a nation stand out in the proposals now afoot. May the Lord in infinite mercy look upon our land and turn us as a people from our abominations.
Roman Catholic at Anglican Synod
In November, the Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Northampton addressed the General Synod of the Church of England. Dr Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury presided over the synod for the last time. Bishop Clark was given a standing ovation by the delegates. In his address he indicated his view of the present ecumenical climate between the two churches by saying that the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches were now “committed to the pursuit of one communion, organically united in legitimate diversity.” This was the first time in its history that the Anglican Synod was addressed by a Roman Catholic bishop. It bodes ill for the Church of England that at a time such as this — when it is pandering to the Roman Catholic Church — Parliament has seen fit to give the Church of England for the first time since the Reformation full authority to determine its doctrine and order its worship. It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that any movement in doctrine and worship will be towards Romanist belief and practice.
Vatican and the Freemasons
The Vatican has modified its attitude towards Freemasonry and is now to allow Roman Catholics to become members of the Lodge provided they have their bishop’s permission. Hitherto Roman Catholics have been banned from entering the craft, the Roman Catholic authorities holding that membership of the lodge was incompatible with membership of their Church. No doubt the secrecy in which Masonry tried to veil some of its mystic ritual did not appeal an organisation which has its own secrets and mystic ritual. One thing is certain. Both Popery and Free Masonry are anti-Christian. In this, if in nothing else, perhaps they can find some harmony.
New Archbishop of Canterbury
The retirement of Dr Ramsay as Archbishop of Canterbury will be attended by no regrets of any who love Christ’s Cause in England. During his tenure of the Archbishopric, Dr Ramsay promoted rapprochement with the Church of Rome and by ecumenical ventures furthered the Rome-ward trend in the Church of England. The new Archbishop, Dr Coggan, the former Archbishop of York, will have a hard task ahead of him if he is to reverse any of the programme which Dr Ramsay set in motion. Evangelicals will be glad, at least, that in this new appointment the long reign of out-and-out Romanisers in the See of Canterbury has been brought to an end.
Teachers’ Strikes
The use of industrial action to secure higher wage packets has spread now to the schools. Teachers in pursuit of what they regard as justifiable claims for higher pay are engaging in strike action thereby closing many of the schools in the country and interrupting the education of millions of children.
We do not intend to pronounce upon the justice or otherwise of the teachers’ claims. It may well be that in comparison with certain other professions they have a strong case for improvements in their pay. The Scripture is very clear on the duty of masters as well as servants: “Masters give unto your servants that which is just and equal.” We do feel however, that in the present economic plight of this country restraint is called for from every section of the community in pursuing wage claims.
What appears to us saddest of all in the whole affair is that teachers, by resorting to strike action, have undone at one stroke the labour of many years. It is not with the educational loss which the children have suffered we are concerned — though even here children at a crucial stage in their education may be seriously affected — but rather with the disciplinary loss which must inevitably follow in the train of the indiscipline of strike action.
What the Communists, the enemies of this country, most heartily desire, the indoctrination of the youth in the art of industrial disruption through strike action, has been done for them by such a responsible body as the teachers of the land. Every child will have learned this lesson well — for lessons in wrong doing are never forgotten — and will be ready when opportunity offers, to follow the example which their former instructors and instructresses have given them.
We deeply sympathise with the many teachers throughout the Church who on moral grounds have refused to support the strike action and have had to suffer as a consequence the obloquy which such steadfastness to principle always entails.