Pope’s Visit to Britain
From Press reports it would appear that plans are in hand for a visit by the Pope to this country during this year. It is expected that he will visit Liverpool and also Scotland. Moves are taking place diplomatically which would facilitate such a visit by the Pope. Recently Archbishop Hein, the Pope’s Apostolic Delegate to Britain was granted official diplomatic recognition and diplomatic immunity was accorded to him. Another emissary from the Pope, one of the Vatican Cardinals, had talks with Dr Runcie, the new Archbishop of Canterbury who is known to favour closer links with Rome.
It is clear that these matters involve serious consequences for hitherto Protestant Britain and constitute a gross violation of her Protestant constitution, which does not allow for any recognition of the Antichristian papal system. Let the praying people of our land pray earnestly that the projected tour of Britain by the Pope may yet be prevented in the Lord’s good providence, and our nation saved from the calamity of such a visit.
New Archbishop of Canterbury
Dr Runcie, Bishop of St Albans, takes over this month from Archbishop Coggan as the new Archbishop of Canterbury. The former Archbishop, Dr Coggan, was reckoned an evangelical, but proved as fervent an ecumenist as his predecessors. The new Archbishop is a professed ecumenist desiring closer links with the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches. He considers himself a “Radical Catholic” — whatever that may mean. He hopes that he may be able to shift the Anglican Communion in the right direction — not doubt, nearer to, or if possible actually into the Roman Catholic Church. We can only regret the advent of Dr Runcie into the leadership of the Church of England.
Scotland and Drink
The Scottish Council on Alcoholism has produced horrifying figures with regard to alcoholism in Scotland. Its report states that between 75,000 and 112,000 of the adult population of Scotland are believed to be problem drinkers. Alcohol was found in 1974 to be a major factor in 54 per cent of fire fatalities. Of 400 murderers in Scotland 58 per cent of the males and 30 per cent of the females were intoxicated at the time they murdered. The cost to industry of alcohol abuse is astronomical. These facts bring out clearly the extent to which drink affects the life of the nation and give cause for serious alarm. They also show to what extent moral restraints are being withdrawn from the nation as a result of the abandonment of religion by the masses of the people. Only by a return to the religious and moral training of the young can this sad state of affairs be remedied.