Ulster's best chance of avoiding the decline
into semi-paganism and gross secularism so evident in other
parts of the United Kingdom is for people to hold fast to
the Christian and Biblical Protestantism which sustained our
forefathers and this historic Province for centuries.
Increased prosperity and affluence, while welcome, must never
replace the solid rock of Christian belief and worship if
Northern Ireland is to hold its unique place among countries
in Europe. Make no mistake about it, Ulster still stands apart
from most European countries for the intensity of its worship.
That is something priceless, and worthy of being maintained,
and the Orange and Black Institutions must continue to be
in the vanguard of the battle to preserve all that is best
in the Ulster Christian society.
The battle is really joined now in the struggle to hold on
to what is still left of the traditional Ulster Sunday. It
is being assailed on all sides by the forces of secularism
and materialism, fanned by the Roman Catholic ethos of the
majority of EC countries who see nothing wrong with having
churchgoing in the morning then "anything goes"
for the rest of the day.
We abandon our traditional Ulster Sabbath at our peril and
one has only to look at other parts of the United Kingdom
to see the sad decline and descent into Godliness and materialism.
Sport is now the "norm" on the mainland - professional
sport which attracts huge crowds and spoils the special atmosphere
of Sunday.
Recently clergymen and ministers in a dozen Protestant churches
in the Aston area of Birmingham sounded the bells of their
churches as 40,000 soccer fans packed neighbouring Villa Park.
Good for them - the clergy - and it was a gesture which not
only caught the headlines but also stirred the conscience
of some football fans.
Interviewed on television, a number said they admired the
churchmen, and they admitted that a few decades ago the suggestion
of Sunday football would have caused revulsion in Birmingham.
Indeed, one minister made the point that Aston Villa was originally
a club formed by members of a Methodist church in Birmingham.
In the even more unlikely setting for a Sunday game - the
great city of Glasgow - the game of football was disgraced
by the events at the Celtic-Rangers "Old Firm" game.
Drunken behaviour, assaults, missile throwing and disgraceful
chanting not only brought the game of football and two great
football clubs into disrepute, but also spotlighted just how
radical the changes have been in the Presbyterian stronghold
of Scotland.
Northern Ireland doesn't have professional football on Sundays,
and that reflects greatly to the credit of the soccer clubs
in the Province. There has been no suggestion of it being
introduced, and in an era of declining attendance’s that
is commendable. Indeed Christian soccer followers should make
a point of supporting the Ulster clubs, thereby playing their
own part in resisting any moves towards playing on the Sabbath.
But sadly, other clubs are not so reluctant to play on Sundays,
with golf and cricket being notable examples.
Ulster now has the "shopping syndrome bug" with
many people thronging shopping malls and DIY centres on Sundays.
Sadly, family groups can be seen at many of these centres,
and this is depriving the children of the chance of going
to Sunday Schools and learning about God and Jesus Christ,
as well as inculcating a Christian discipline and form of
living into them.
As the "Orange 'Standard" has said before, there
is no use Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, MPs and police
chiefs bemoaning the descent into lawlessness, without getting
to the core of the problem - the decline in spiritual and
religious matters.
The United Kingdom was a law-abiding and decent society until
the years following the Second World War when the first inroads
were made into Sunday observance.
Firstly it was the cinemas, then followed by lessening of
the laws on Sunday drinking, gambling and sporting activities.
Great non-conformist countries like Wales and Scotland have
had their special ethos put to the one side, with the consequent
decline in time-honoured traditions.
Ulster must not follow the example of the other parts of
this nation or the Republic of Ireland, it must continue to
witness for true Protestantism - the Protestantism which puts
Christ and His teachings first, not least the need to honour
the Sabbath Day.
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