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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, JUNE 4, 1982
PAGE 6
After answering my many questions and inviting me to church, I
knew this is where I wanted to be. I have never met such won
derful people, people who were actually living God's Word, not
just acting it one hour a week!
I can hardly wait for the
Sabbaths and Bible studies. The hours go by so fast here, not
like the services I use to attend where half an hour seemed like a
day. Your church is a refreshing change in today's sick society.
Thank you for all you are doing!
D.N. (Perth Amboy, NJ)
I went to church this Sabbath and I must say I enjoyed it very
much. The people were so kind to me. Also, I noticed how well
behaved ALL the children were. There was so much love present
you could feel it coming out of the walls!
What a shame that all churches aren't conducted like God's true
Church. For the first time in my life I was actually taught
straight from the Bible. It felt good and right and I will con
tinue to go.
ON THE WORLD SCENE
J.M. (Troy, OH)
--Richard Rice, Mail Processing Center
CHARISMATIC POPE ACCELERATES CHURCH UNITY DRIVE
DATELINE PARIS (June 3, 1982): I have just arrived here after having wit
nessed, partly in person as an accredited PLAIN TRUTH correspondent, the
visit of Pope John Paul II to Britain. This was an event of great signifi
cance, certainly far more than the Pope's visit to the United States in
1979.
The Roman Catholic faithful in Britain--a minority of around five million
believers--were of course delirious at his coming and greatly relieved that
he did not cancel his trip as a result of the war in the South Atlantic.
The non-Catholic majority also seemed to be quite supportive of the Pope's
trip, or at least were not openly hostile. Those who objected openly, such
as Ian Paisley, the member of Parliament from Northern Ireland who is an
outspoken Protestant critic, were few and generally dismissed as a bunch of
cranks out of step with today's realities, or at least the more liberal news
media painted them as such.
I, along with John Schroeder of our PLAIN TRUTH staff in Britain, was on
hand at Gatwick Airport south of London when the Pope arrived. The Pope did
his traditional greeting, an act that he performs at every country he
arrives in (in fact he did it in Scotland as well, signifying the distinct
nationhood of the people up to the north). The Pope kissed the ground, or
at least at Gatwick this meant not the ground but the tarmac at the airport.
Lest he should pick up anything harmful, a truck with a high-pressure water
hose washed off the tarmac shortly before his plane landed.
The highlight of the Pope's visit occurred the very next day (Saturday). It
surrounded the first-ever visit of the Pope to Canterbury Cathedral, the
very headquarters of the Church of England, which broke off from Rome 449
years ago. I watched this very unique service on television in order to get
the benefits of the excellent BBC coverage and commentary.