LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
IS THIS A CHRISTIAN COUNTRY?
SIR,—Comments on the opening of Sunday theatres raise the question of what it is that gives the country a duty to call itself "Christian." In one sense, often called sectarian, the word cannot be applied out- side the community of Christians. Yet even our Nonconformist fathers did not cease to dream of an England which should be 3 holy nation, bringing forth the fruits of righteousness.
But you do not settle the matter by counting heads. The past has also to be considered, and that is why even were the Roman Catholics the strongest body in the country England would still be (vide Belloc) incorrigibly Protestant. The heroism and endurance of our people today is not entirely a- contemporary achievement, to be considered apart from the facts of the past, as that Drake and Nelson kneeled in their cabins, that Cromwell's men sang the 17th. Psalm, and that Marlborough kneeled before the Sacrament on the eve of Blenheim. Drake's prayers were as important as Drake's drum: at least, he thought so. The best of our national ideals could rever have been without the Christian faith, and that faith is bound up with the community of Christians at their worship.
That is why the Sunday question is still urgent. If we Christians are wise we shall not spend our best energies trying to restore the Victorian Sabbath which is done. We shall claim and maintain the right of all men to free and uninterrupted worship of God, especially in our present strenuous emergency. This is the. real menace of our time. There have been too many and disquieting parallels in the last months in the actions of governmental and civic authorities to the opening stages of the German Church-conflict. For the Nazis began with demonstrations and duties coincident with church-hours, and proceeded to usurp the youth-activitles and education after that. We assume that when our leaders use great words they mean them: that "Christian country," "Christian civilisation" are not good phrases to round off the peroration of a " pep " talk. But if they mean them, they must implement them. They must not turn round when it is a question of wireless-programme or national calendar, reminding us that we church-going folk are a tiny minority and had best be silent, or that, unlike the brewers, racing and, theatrical interests, we offend against liberty and democracy when a free vote happens to turn our way.
But " Christion country" ought to have meaning for future as well as past and present.
C'est embetant, dit Dieu, quand n'y aura plus ces francais, fry a des choses que je fais, ii n'y aura plus personne pour less cornprendre.
If the Living God rules history, must not Peguy's words apply to each people? Must there not be a destiny for us, to hand over to all mankind what God has given us? If so, the vocation of a Christian country would remain even if the number of church-going people decreased, even if the whole nation apostatised and made its bed in some secular democratic "new order." Mass-observation has its slick uses, but in the matter of a Christian country it had better
be postponed until Judgement Day.—Yours truly, E. G. RUP2. The Manse, The Common, Chislehurst, Kent.
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