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And so it remains to this day.
A Cultural, Peaceful People
Czechoslovaks have a lways pre–
ferred to live in peace than die as
heroes. Those that they tru ly
admire tend to be men who stand
for culture and freedom.
The Czechs are proud of their
nation's heritage. Millions of tour–
ists visit each year from all over the
world. Westero visitors are made
welcome, and once they have com–
pleted the necessary (and seeming–
ly interminable) entry formalities,
are free to go anywhere. Prague is
sti ll one of the great cultural cities
of the world. Many of the historie
buildings are being cleaned and
restored. The city that Mozar t
loved still has much to offer music
lovers. Pl aces of entertainment
abound from classical concerts to
modero rock. There is also a wide
variety of films and plays from a ll
over the world- not just from the
European bloc. In late December
The Poseidon Adventure
was play–
ing at the J aita Theater,
Macbeth
was on stage at the Smetana, and
Helio Dolly
was also in town .
On the somewhat touchy subject
of religion, the Czechs are also
real istic. The constitution guaran–
tees freedom of religious belief to
every citizen, although it is no
secret that the communist govern–
ment does not encourage it. As in
many other countries in the world,
what the constitution says and what
the government of the day
allows
may be two different matters.
Church attendance in Czechoslo–
vakia is not nearly as high as in
neighboring Poland, but considera–
bly higher than in many Western
"Christ ian" countries. The party
and the church regard each other
with gua rded respect. Smaller
denominations can also funct ion.
Contrary to popular belief in the
West, there is no restriction on
individuals owning a Bible.
This then is Czechoslovakia- a
little nation locked by geography
and history in the heart of Europe.
lt
is not a paradise, but nei ther
should it be thought of as grim,
gray and miserable.
" True Heart of Czechoslovakla"
Throughout their history, Czechs
and Slovaks have been dominated
42
by their more powerful neigh–
bors-forced by political or mili–
tary circumstances to be- on one
side or the other.
Like people everywhere, the
Czechoslovaks yearn for security,
peace, freedom from fear- and a
chance to be themselves. They tend
to be idealis ts with a strong sense of
justice. The re form movements
that rocked the established church
in the Middle Ages had their roots
in the Hussite revolutionaries in
15 th-century Prague. Afte r J an
Hus was mar tyred in 1415, sorne of
his followers set up a government
based on their notions of the king–
dom of God, at Tabor, in Southern
Bohemia. Prívate ownership was
abolished, and all wealth was com–
munally owned. The basic tenet of
government was to " love thy neigh-
''
We cannot be dogmatic
as to :what
Czechoslovakia' s
future role in . . .
Europe will be.
For centuries she
was part . . . of the
old Holy
Roman. Empire.
''
bor as thyself."
It
didn't last long.
Military opportunists moved in and
mobilized the town's resources for
war. Those who remained faith ful
to t he or iginal concept were
denounced as heretics and burned
at the s take.
Men, however well intentioned,
cannot bring a:bout the kingdom of
God by their own efforts. That
kingdom will come-but not until
this world has proved that it does
not know the way to lasting peace
and prosperity.
The Czechs have lived in precar–
ious peace for most of the years
s ince the Second World War
ended. Whatever c hanges they may
want, they will not risk losing all
that has been achieved. The aver–
age Czechoslovak is a family man,
who wants to be al lowed to live in
peace, to earn his keep, to provide
for his loved ones, using his talents
to the best of his abil ities.
Czechoslovakia has millions of
people like this, and in them lies
the true potential of this hardy li t–
tle country.
The Changlng Map of Europa
As regular readers of this magazine
know, t he balance of power in
Europe is about to see a g reat
c hange. The Roman Empire is
prophesied in the Bible to rise once
more. l t wi ll undoubtedly rise out
of the economic and political insta–
bility in Western and Centra l
Europe.
It!i
sudden rise to power,
and the force and energy it com–
mands, wi ll probably take even its
own leaders by surprise.
lt
may
seem to be, for a whi le, the eco–
nomic and political salvation of
Europe. But that neglected source
of European history-the Bible–
graphically portrays the t ragedy
into which the whole world wi ll be
plunged by the struggle for the
"soul of Europe."
But, strangely, while none of the
Warsaw Pact nations base their for–
eign policy on the prophecies of
Daniel and the book of Revelation,
they
seem to appreciate better than
the West the problems inherent in
such a union.
We cannot be dogmatic as to
what Czechoslovakia's future role
in a new Europe will be. For centu–
ries she was a part- albeit a reluc–
tant part-of the old Holy Roman
Empire.
One thing is cer tain, the coming
events in Europe will involve her–
as events in Europe always do. That
may sound forebodi ng-but it will
turn out finally to be good news.
For out of the turmoil that wi ll
once again engulf the Continent–
and the world- will come a new
age of peacc that wi ll last for a
thousand years.
That age will be ruled not by the
whim of man but by the will of God.
In that world tomorrow, Czechs and
Slovaks will work alongside present
friends and former enemies, to make
their own very special contribution
to the prosperity and well-being of
all mankind. o
The
PLAIN TRUTH