FROM THE VICAR

My dear People,

For the last fortnight the "Torrey Canyon", stuck on the Seven Stones Reef, has held pride of place in the news. In the south-west especially, holidays, coastal beauty, bird and sea life have all been overwhelmingly threatened by the enormous quantity of oil released from the tanker. Thank God, our islands are not nearly so prone as other parts of the world to such catastrophes, though we have experienced comparatively recently Aberfan and Lynmouth.

When these near disasters occur, they appear to shake us. Government, as well as local authorities, seem unprepared and inclined to flounder. Individuals on the spot seem bewildered and even sometimes aggrieved that they should be personally involved. Our society, I'm afraid, tends to expect that life, with all our technical knowledge, will go along smoothly and happily. The Christian Church has never agreed with this view-point. It has always contended that man is not all-powerful, but only Almighty God. In creating the world He gave man free-will. If that free-will is linked with the Creator's purposes, then it is more likely to be used for the good of mankind, and man-made disasters are less likely to occur; but always there is human error, as well as evil men. Faced with this situation the Church's message could be summed up like this: "Shed the pride of technical achievement. Admit you don't know everything nor can control everything. Admit your weakness before the strength of the Creator. Ask God more often for His blessing and guidance. Thank God more often for all the things that do go right."

It was just that attitude (when faced with volcanic earthquakes) which brought about the first Rogation Days in the 5th century in France; later, when there was a disastrous failure of the crops in England in 1543, even the proud Henry VIII felt the same way; he ordered Cranmer to produce the first English Litany. On 30th April Rogation Sunday comes round again, when we sing the Litany in procession and bless the orchards. How right that we who live and work in the country should do this! It would hope that all who possibly can will come to church on that morning. I would hope also, that our coming would be an expression of a deep understanding of the world and its Creator.

Your sincere friend and Vicar,

JOHN GREEN.