THE STATUE THAT QUIVERS

Holding forth the word of life;
that I may rejoice in the day of Christ,
that I have not run in vain,
neither laboured in vain.
Philippians 2:16

Fight the good fight of faith,
lay hold on eternal life,
whereunto thou art also called,
and hast professed a good profession
before many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:12

It stands proudly outside the Houses of Parliament in London, and love or loathe who it represents, Oliver Cromwell [1599-1658] is there for all to see as they walk by. What a magnificent sight!

Those who have read the articles in 1521 [Nos.25-31] on the great man will appreciate his detestation of popery, believing it to be a political, spiritual and moral danger to a country, as are the adherents of this vile religion. Small wonder, that Anne Widdecombe the papist MP has stated she wants to spit every time she sees the statue!

But, for the time being, she has cause to laugh at it: ‘Catholicism is starting to playa big part in mainstream English life’, she triumphs. And thanks largely to the ‘silent majority’ of God’s people, who do nothing about the situation, she is correct.

Within the House our hero is ‘guarding’, clutching a Bible in one hand [what irony] and a sword in the other, is a scene that should enrage [yes, ENRAGE!] everyone who loves the pure Gospel of Christ, and drive us to our prayers for this nation under God’s judgment: a Roman Catholic Speaker of the House [Michael Martin], a Prime Minister [Tony Blair] who regularly attends Mass with his papist family, and two papist opposition leaders [lain Duncan Smith and Charles Kennedy].

We can be sure of one thing. Even if Christians today are backslidden about these matters, the pigeon standing on brother Oliver’s head will have felt the raging and the righteous indignation beneath it!

PRESSURE POINTS

Next time you’re caught in yet another traffic jam on one of Britain’s cluttered roads, or waiting for a train or plane that is hours late or may never arrive, why not pass the time in solving a puzzle? Ask your equally frustrated companion a simple question: What FOUR things do Northern Ireland, Gibralter and the Falklands have in common?

Yes, you’ve got it! Although many miles apart, all three are [1] inhabited by a Protestant majority that [2] pleads to be allowed to remain that way and part of Britain, the Pope though having other ideas, with [3] Roman Catholic southern Ireland, Spain and Argentina trying hard to capture and ‘convert’ these British territories, And guess what will happen; through Blair [4], the Pope will, of course, eventually get his way, and in three stages.

First comes the promise from Blair and his henchmen that these territories will NEVER be handed over [honest!]; that the people will decide their own future in a referendum [truly!]. But then following a time lapse, lo and behold there is the ‘working out of a peace process’ in favour of course of the Pope’s children [as in Northern Ireland], or the hint about ‘shared sovereignty’ [in the case of Gibralter], not wishing to upset Spain our ‘European partner’. Finally, there will be the pragmatic expediency of capitulation, with no doubt a passing reference to the fact that ‘times change, this is a different era’, or some such paltry cliche. Honest, and truly, the British are led by grinning wickedness.

On second thoughts, perhaps the game had better not be played. Discovering the answers will only serve to intensify the irritation, and raise the blood pressure still further – to a dangerous level! One day, who knows, we Christians might even stir ourselves and do something about the situation.

FORGET THE FOX!

In September, throughout Britain many thousands from the rural areas made their way to London, responding angrily to talk about banning fox-hunting. Their concern and fear is not only that a traditional country sport would be lost for ever, one that is hundreds of years old, but more particularly, that job losses connected to the Hunt would result on an immense scale. Rural areas would be decimated, mass unemployment, with a general exodus of workers looking for work elsewhere.

One’s first impression, before any thoughts on fox-hunting sprang to mind, was the eagerness of the protesters to share their burden with the rest of Britain; so-much-so, they refused to remain in their corner of the ‘field’ moaning about the situation, but took the trouble to air their complaints to the politicians.

And how! They, of all ages [some had never been to London before], arrived in cars, trains, coaches – and even on tractors. Their leaders appeared on TV and radio, and everyone has heard about their grievances, including those in authority. Practical folk are country folk!

So, if God’s people claim to love their Lord and the Gospel he has revealed, why don’t they do the same? In an age of blasphemy and Gospel- hating – bai ting – neglecting – rejecting, appalling wickedness and rampant immorality, instead of moaning about the situation WAKE UP, AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! But, no chance, tragically the leaders of God’s people don’t love him that much.

As for the foxes: forget them. The issue is not about fox-hunting, as such, but the gradual dismantling of the traditional British way of life. Fox-hunting must GO, together with the royal yacht, Britannia, and the royal train and, no doubt, eventually the non-papist monarchy: in fact, GREAT BRITAIN itself.

Instead, WELCOME the Roman Catholic Republic of Britain! And who do you think is anxious to become the very first President?

Dr. Peter Trumper