The European Community
The decision of Denmark in a referendum not to approve the Maastricht Agreement has thrown the Common Market into utter confusion. Moves for the further integration of Europe have been suddenly halted. Though the Europhiles in Britain and elsewhere will do their utmost to resurrect the dead carcass of the Maastricht Treaty, yet a salutary warning has been given that nations should be left to decide their own destiny and not have it imposed on them from outside. The Romanist schemes for a revived Holy Roman Empire have suffered a set-back but knowing the subtlety and ingenuity of the Jesuits fresh attempts will be made to put the scheme back on track again. How good it is to know that there is One who rules in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and who sees and knows all things and will effect His own purposes in the earth.
The Roman Catholic Church and Celibacy
The question of the Romish doctrine of celibacy has been discussed in the Press in connection with the scandal of Bishop Murphy of Galway. According to Roman dogma the celibate condition is meant to be a more pure and holy and dedicated state than that of the married state. Rome’s inventions always defeat themselves for the lie will never overcome the truth. The history of the celibate states of priests and nuns etc, in the Romish Church shows that far from leading to a more holy life it has only led to immorality and other evils. Bishop Murphy’s case is only one more proof of this.
Divorce Laws
Since the law was passed in 1976 making irretrievable breakdown the sole ground for divorce the divorce rate has only increased. The intention now seems to be to make the way as open as possible for divorce except having regard to the interests of the children. The Scottish Law Commission in 1989 suggested that the separation period should be reduced to one year with consent and two years without consent. The present state of matters in relation to divorce reflects the low moral condition into which the nation has sunk. Taking into account as well the high percentage of children born out of wedlock it is clear that the nation is ripening for judgment, if it is not already under judgment in being left to its own devices.
The Sin of Sodomy
The sin which brought fire and brimstone from heaven on the cities of the plain is looked upon with no aversion by this ‘enlightened’ generation. Consequently, not satisfied with having given this sin legal sanction on the Statute Book of the land, it is now proposed to extend that sanction further by reducing the age of consent from 21 years to 18 or 16 years. Even the plague of AIDS which stemmed from this evil vice seems to have no effect on the legislators’ minds, seeing that they are wholly unwilling to curb the vice at its source. Rather they are ready to open the door wider for this plague to progress. The attitude of the God of heaven is clear: “Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this.”
Sabbath Trading
The House of Lords has backed local authorities’ power to curb Sabbath trading. Notwithstanding this, the large Supermarket Companies are ready to defy the law and continue Sabbath trading. It is not their defiance of the law of the land that is the most serious matter but their defiance of the law of God. Those responsible may even escape the sentence of the law of the land for their evil conduct but they will not escape the just judgment of God. Their pretence of waiting for the advice of the Euro- pean Court in Luxemburg will be of no avail then, for the members of that Court will themselves be under judgment if they do not uphold the law of God.
Lothian Regional Council and Republican March
The Lothian Regional Council refused permission for an Irish Republican march in Edinburgh in May. The Transport Committee accepted the Chief Constable’s warning that the proposed march and rally might lead to widespread violence in the city centre. This followed violence at a similar march last year. The Council are to be commended for this action.
What Americans Believe
A number of surveys over the years produced amazing figures for the proportion of Americans who claim to be born again. The figures are so high as to be manifestly contradicted by the worldliness of the lifestyle of so much of the population of the United States. A recent book with the title What Americans Believe confirms the low quality of Christian profession. The author, George Barna, presents his analysis of extensive telephone surveys conducted with over a thousand people early in 1991. A review of the book in the magazine Christianity Today reports some highly disturbing findings:
83% of those surveyed agree that “people are basically good”.
60% agree that “the devil, or Satan, is not a living being but is a symbol of evil”. More significantly, 47% of those claiming to be evangelicals agree with this statement.
64% of those surveyed agree that “Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and others all pray to the same God, even though they use different names for that God”. Again 46% of evangelicals agree.
42% of those professing to be Christians admitted that they do not read the Bible even once in any given week.
53% of evangelicals agree that there is no such thing as absolute truth.
“To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
K.D.M.
Mission News
Drought and lack of food are always distressing in any part of the world. At Mbuma and Ingwenya the people were able for a time to make use of what remained of the previous year’s crop, but at New Canaan and Binga there had been no crop the previous year. Food is being given for work at Mbuma and New Canaan. At Ingwenya the Rev. A. B. Ndebele has been able to help the local people with food purchased with money sent from Scotland, England and no doubt kind friends in Holland. The cattle are being fed at Ingwenya with grass bought in bales from a local farmer. The cattle are in reasonable condition and the milk they yield helps to supplement the boarding-school rations.
It is sad news to hear that Mr David Ndlovu, who carries such a heavy burden of work on the Mission generally, overseeing the building, maintenance and motor transport, is ill with pneumonia and shingles. One of the Mbuma hospital staff visits David every day at his home in Lutsha. When last we heard two daughters of the Rev. and Mrs Ndebele were in hospital in Bulawayo. We do hope and pray they will make a good recovery.
Miss Lia Terlouw’s parents and her sister have arrived at Mbuma to visit Lia and the Mission. Lia will be on holiday during their visit. All will be pleased to have friends from Holland. Miss Margaret MacAskill leaves D.V. for Zimbabwe on July 8. We wish her a safe flight. During the month of August, the Rev. D. B. MacLeod and Mr Donald MacDonald leave for Kenya and Malawi, if all is well. This is a difficult field as so much depends, humanly speaking, on government regulations, and being able to achieve a great deal of business in a very short time. The prayers of the Lord’s people would be greatly appreciated.
We trust that there will be a plenteous rainfall in the coming season. Sometimes there are showers in October which help to soften the soil in preparation for the sowing of seed in November. Many of the young African men hire a tractor to plough up their fields, and some are kind enough to help the widows to plough theirs. In a good year the rivers are in flood by the end of November. After ten days of rain there is a green sheen over the whole countryside, and beautiful wild flowers spring up in unexpected places. This is a wonderful promise: ‘For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine offspring.’ J.N.