The Aids Epidemic
Press reports give some indication of the extent of this plague. In San Francisco in the last ten years 7,300 have died and another 30,000 are infected with the virus. In Malawi the World Health Organisation reports that 37 per cent of the population, which is just under 3 million, are infected with the Aids virus. Worldwide the number of cases officially reported in the last ten years was 366,455 spread over 162 countries. Notwithstanding this judgment of the Most High on the sin of sodomy, the governments of the countries affected have failed to outlaw the practice of sodomy, and consequently the plague has spread beyond the homosexual community so that the innocent suffer along with the guilty. The blindness of the leaders of the nations to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah will ensure that the plague will spread even further than is already the case. The supporters in Parliament, and outwith Parliament of the ‘liberalising’ of penal sanctions against sodomites have now to live with what is the fruit of their perverted judgment. Only repentance on a national and worldwide scale will bring an end to this menace.
Sabbath Trading
The following letter from Mr J. G. Roberts, General Secretary of the Lord’s Day Observance Society indicates the danger of further deregulation of Sabbath trading:—
Dear Mr Macleod,
Thank you very much for your letter on the 8th July enclosing a further gift towards the Society’s ministry. As with previous gifts, we assure you of our deep gratitude and I would again ask you to convey to the Synod our real appreciation for remembering our work in this generous way, and at this needy time.
In June, the Society received an invitation to visit the Home Office and discuss with Senior Officials the issue of trading on the Lord’s Day. We spent over an hour with them and this was followed by a further invitation to meet the Home Office Minister on the 11th July. This gave an opportunity to bring before the Minister the Biblical issues why we totally oppose Sabbath trading. We were given 40 minutes and felt the visit was most worthwhile.
However, we do feel that steps may be taken this autumn to introduce legislation which would attempt to further deregulate trading on the Lord’s Day. We will prepare for this and act accordingly. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.
We do value the support and fellowship of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland as we seek to uphold this Divine Institution that has been such a blessing to our nation in past years.
I send my Christian greetings.
Yours sincerely,
John G. Roberts,
General Secretary.
Hyde Park Concert
An estimated 50,000 people gathered in Hyde Park in torrential rain to hear the tenor opera singer, Luciano Pavarotti. These included the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duchess of York and the Prime Minister. If an opera singer can gather so many together on a night of torrential rain for worldly entertainment, what will it be like when the Gospel is once more preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, as it was in the days of George Whitefield and others who were mightily used of the Lord to the ingathering of many souls to His Kingdom? For such a day of the Lord’s power let us plead.
Increase in Abortion
In England and Wales the abortion rate has increased nearly three fold in the past twenty years. The Abortion Act was passed in 1967 and since then there have been more than three million abortions. How low our nation has sunk to permit such a colossal slaughter of children in the womb! Is it any wonder that life has become cheap and that violence is endemic throughout the country. The next step — the ending of the lives of the aged — is now called for by many. It is euphemistically called ‘euthanasia’ or ‘the right to die with dignity.’ Men reckon without God. He has said: “Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?”
Ulster Violence
The attempt by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State to effect an agreement over Northern Ireland failed. The place given to the government of Eire in connection with the affairs of Ulster made it almost certain that no meaningful progress would be made. The Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary warned that the province was facing probably the highest terrorist threat in the last two years. Of the 65 persons killed last year 46 were killed by Republicans.
The IRA, through their murderous campaigns, are still attempting to force Britain to abandon Ulster to its fate. So far the Government have not succumbed to this pressure and it is to be hoped that they will never do so. If the Roman Catholic Church had not been antagonistic to Britain the troubles in Northern Ireland would never have begun or have been carried on so long. The part played by the RC Church in these events will yet come to light.
Ministerial Visiting
The following letter appeared in the Church of Scotland magazine in August 1991: “I have been a member of various churches in Edinburgh since 1926. I cannot recollect a visit from a minister except when my husband died over 20 years ago, when the minister officiated at the cremation. I realise ministers are very busy people. What with baptisms, weddings, burials, cremations, plus visiting hospitals and the housebound, their time is really limited, but maybe they could spare a flying visit to members who attend church regularly. I know many people would welcome a chat, especially the lonely.”
We hope that no-one in the Free Presbyterian Church could write the same but, if so, we hope they are very few. When one contemplates the level of pastoral care evident by “various churches in Edinburgh since 1926”, it is breath-taking. We are shocked beyond words that one “who attends church regularly” has not been visited in 65 years by a minister, except for bereavement. The preaching which has produced such remarkable patience — or is it indifference? — must have a similarly remarkable quality. There is surely food for thought here.
D.M.B.