Sabbath Trading
Over many years efforts have been made to break down the safeguards against Sabbath trading. In Scotland the safeguards which previously existed to prevent Sabbath trading were largely swept away at the time of regionalisation. But those in England and Wales still remain. Nehemiah, in his day, understood the evil nature of this trafficking and forbade any burden to be brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath Day. When the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged outside Jerusalem on the Sabbath, he warned them that if they did so again he would lay hands upon them. So ended at that time the selling and buying at Jerusalem.
Our Government is of a different mind and wishes to remove all barriers to Sabbath trading. The Lord Chancellor has spoken out against this and has defended the Sabbath as a day of rest and of worship. It would be good if the Prime Minister and other Government ministers would follow suit though this seems unlikely as they have expressed themselves in favour of total deregulation.
The House of Commons were given three options on which to vote but none of these was acceptable in the light of the Fourth Commandment. How sad it is that although God has given men six days of the week for their own employment, yet they must steal from God that one day which He claims as His own. The consequences of such action will very soon appear. May the Lord graciously intervene to deliver our land from those who would trample His Day under their feet and bring us back to a right observance of His holy day. (Sad to say, a Bill was passed in the House of Commons on 8th December, permitting opening of shops on Sabbath).
Northern Ireland
The situation in Northern Ireland has once again been brought to people’s notice through the revelations which have come out regarding our Government’s contacts with the IRA. As a result of these and other matters the loyal community in Northern Ireland may be excused for losing confidence in the British Government and its professed intention to maintain the status quo in that part of our country. Talks of peace, when they come from IRA sources and Eire Government sources, are suspect. Both of these parties want a United Ireland and therefore should have no place in discussions of the future of Ulster. The murderers of the IRA, who have slain so many in Northern Ireland and elsewhere, cannot be trusted and our Government should recognise it. The Protestants of Northern Ireland will not be deluded by false promises of peace to surrender their dearly-bought liberties and privileges which they enjoy as part of the United Kingdom.
Children Found Guilty of Murder
Two boys of eleven years of age were found guilty of abducting and killing a two-year-old boy and were ordered to be detained during Her Majesty’s pleasure. This awful case has aroused much questioning throughout the nation as to how children of that age could be guilty of such a horrendous crime. Many suggestions have been put forward to account for this, such as, the possibility of watching horror videos. It is a commonly held belief that man is inherently good. Yet surely we have proof in this instance, if proof is needed, that man is fallen and depraved at heart. It is plain that if man is left to himself there is no limit to which he will not go in sin. We go astray from the womb following lies. The real question is how is it that all men do not run to the same length in sin. This is due solely to the restraining grace of God. How much we owe to the restraining grace of God, else the world would be a place in which men could not live together.
If children are to know the restraints which the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ put upon them, what need there is that the young would be brought under the influence of the truth in their formative years. How much the young, as well as the old, need to hear the warnings of God’s Word against the ways of sin. To many of the young in our day, the commandments of the divine law are completely unknown. May this tragic case bring men to see that the evil influences, to which many children are exposed in our day, have a corrupting effect upon them. If this was properly realised, then action would be taken to remove such evil influences from children in their tender years.
European Union
After the passing of the Single European Act in 1986, the European Economic Community (E.E.C.) became known as the European Community (E.C.) with the passing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1993, the E.C. is now known as the European Union. This is not surprising. It is quite clearly the name used in the Treaty on European Union, which is the proper name for the Maastricht Treaty. Its Preamble states that the member states are “resolved to mark a new stage in the process of European integration undertaken with the establishment of the European Communities, . . . in view of further steps to be taken in order to advance European integration, (they) have decided to establish a European Union. . . .”
The former Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher, admitted in her maiden speech to the House of Lords that, at the time of the passing of the Single European Act, she had not realised what this Act involved. I wonder if our present Prime Minister, if he is spared to have a maiden speech in the House of Lords, will say that he did not realise the implications of the Maastricht Treaty when it was passed. There is a saying that we get the leaders which we deserve.
D.M.B.