100 years ago--Canadian Anglican minister warns against lack of interest in Bible study

It might seem incredible to modern readers, but well into the 20th century, not only did newspapers weekly publish the text of sermons at major churches, but there were Anglican ministers who actually believed the Bible. As reported in the Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 7, 1925 (bold in original):

Present Generation Too Unconcerned About Bible Study, Pastor Declares

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Rev. H.D. Martin Deplores Absence of Teaching in Schools

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Following its long established custom of giving its readers each week a sermon from a Winnipeg pulpit, A Tribune reporter, yesterday visited St. George's Church, Crescentwood, and reported the sermon of Rev. H.D. Martin, the pastor.

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Rev. Henry D. Martin, in a sermon [at St. George's] Church, Crescentwood, deplored the fact that the Bible was not taught in the schools. Mr. Martin told his congregation that they had a smaller appreciation of the Bible than its enemies.

Thee was far too little study of the Bible in this generation. If he asked some of them how often they read it he knew what their answer would be. And yet the Bible was the one book they needed at all times, he said.

Outlining briefly the contents of the Bible, he explained that in the Old Testament there was found the literature of an ancient people occupying a distinctive position in their age and in the history of the world. In the New Testament literature they found the story of a movement which centred in a person.

The object of the movement was to promote faith in that person, and through that faith to work a revolution in the world.

Law and Prophecy

In the Old Testament they had the law which comprised religious, moral and social sanctions which had built up the ancient Jewish people. They had also the prophets, which included the history of the captivity and restoration of the Jewish people. The prophetic utterances, said Mr. Martin, were unique, directing the mind of the people and shaping their destiny.

Then there were the writings, in which were included the Psalms, the greatest book of devotion in the world.

In the New Testament, there was a close connection with the Old. There was also a difference. Saint Augustine had expressed it by saying that the New Testament was latent in the Old, and that the Old Testament was patent in the New.

The prophets had forecast the Person of which the New Testament bore witness. He was the Mediator of the new covenant, a unique character, a personality who arrested their attention and won their affection. His words and works, and life was sketched briefly, but His death was described in detail.

Man's Thought Is Changed

His coming brought the possibility of an enlargement of the people of God. It was to be all-inclusive, embracing the whole of mankind. The result of His presence was a decided change in the thought of men. "We realize that faith in this Man, who calls Himself the Son of God and the Son of Man, brings about a regenerative influence in the lives of men who give themeselves to Him, and that this influence spreads to the uttermost parts of the earth," he said.

This faith was a new fact, a new power by which men became sons of God, children of the family of the almighty Father.

The prophetic book with which the Bible closed pictured the time when all the kingdmos of the world would be the kingdoms of God and His Christ, said Mr. Martin.

The study of the Bible would give them the secret of life. It would place in their hands the key of all history. It would provide them with a revelation of God to His children.

Helps Daily Life

"Perhaps the most wonderful thing about the Bible is that it helps us live our common life. Apart from its revelation of God, and its human interest, and practical teaching, it is a curiously 'homey' book. It enters intimately into the ways of life. It always helps us when we go to it for help.

"It has taken the intelligence of the greatest men of the centuries to understand it. Yet the simplest and most unintelligent can take up the Bible and read therein words that bring life to them.

Mr. Martin paid tribute to the character building value of the book, stating that great men testified to the influence on the minds and lives. In the great crises of life there flashed across the memory some words of scripture, he said.

The Bible had been the mother of good literature. It had made English literature. It had provided some nations with the only literature they possessed.

All this was not a mere accident. The Bible was not a collection of myths, stories and legends. It "was the word of God."

"It is a rock that can never be moved. It is a book that enables men to be at one with God; to hold communion and fellowship with God; to enter into the life of God. It teaches them the brotherhood of mankind, and prepares them foer the life that is to come."

To get an idea of how much the Anglican Church of Canada has changed over the last century, see also my posts:

Baptists, Anglicans and Pentecostals team up to host Emergent speaker and writer Peter Rollins (February 26, 2009)

Calgary parish votes to leave the Anglican Church of Canada and join the Roman Catholic Church (December 6, 2010)

Anglican Church of Canada mulls open communion (March 9, 2011)

Dissident Anglican congregations lose their properties when the Supreme Court of Canada declines to hear their case (June 18, 2011)

Another dissident congregation leaves the Anglican Church of Canada (July 5, 2011)

Lutheran pastor assumes important Anglican post in Canada (February 5, 2012)

Canadian Anglican priest returns to the pulpit after serving time in prison for indecent assault--and then resigns in the wake of negative publicity (February 3, 2012)

More Canadian Anglicans break away to join the Roman Catholic Church (May 16, 2012)

50 years ago: Anglican Church of Canada adopts new Book of Common Prayer (August 22, 2012)

Aboriginal bishops in Anglican Church of Canada invoke "colonial occupation" in opposition to same-sex marriage (March 10, 2016)

Anglican Church of Canada votes in favour of sodomite and lesbian marriage--after changing the vote count (July 13, 2016)

40 years ago: Anglican Church of Canada ordains its first female priests (November 30, 2016)

90 years ago: Guy Fawkes Day in Toronto (November 5, 2017)

50 years ago: Anglican Church of Canada abandons its opposition to abortion (December 18, 2017)

An Anglican Church of Canada priest who's an example of a pagan disguised as a Christian (February 28, 2018)

50 years ago: Canadian Anglican traditionalists oppose union with United Church of Canada (June 21, 2019)

Statement from Anglican Church of Canada Primate-elect shows the church to be beyond the possibility of satire (July 27, 2019)

Anglican Church of Canada General Synod votes overwhelmingly to remove prayer for the conversion of the Jews from the Book of Common Prayer (August 7, 2019)

Anglican Church of Canada will review its governance structure in order to remove those who stand in the way of the alphabet pervert agenda (August 22, 2019)

Anglican Church of Canada General Synod votes to endorse Chrislamic A Common Word Between Us and You (December 22, 2019)

Anglican Church of Canada will be dead by 2040, according to its own report (December 22, 2019)

100 years ago--Canadian Anglicans envision new social order (September 30, 2023)

An Anglican "church" in Winnipeg hosts an alphabet pervert "reimagination" of Handel's Messiah (December 22, 2023)

50 years ago--the Anglican Church of Canada votes to ordain women to the priesthood (June 18, 2025)

The Anglican Church of Canada is repurposing its buildings because it can no longer fill them (June 22, 2025)

100 years ago--Winston Churchill blasts socialism and Communism

Mister, we could use a man like Winston Churchill again. As reported on the front page of the Montreal Gazette, November 30, 1925:

CHURCHILL LASHES BRITISH SOCIALISM

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Summed Up Results of Marx' Teaching in Tunbridge Wells Speech

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(Special Cable to the New York Times and Montreal Gazette.)

London. Nov. 29--Socialists and Communists received a merciless tongue-lashing Saturday from Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston Churchill--who, by the way, is 51 today.

Speaking at Tunbridge Wells, he said:

"The Socialist in his folly and the Communist in his malice would undermine and fatally wreck the pillars of our society. They wish to go as fast as possible along the same road, but the Communist thinks he can smash his way by violence and the Socialist believes he can do it by humbug. The theories of that remarkable German, Karl Marx, if put into practice, would finally and fatally destroy the liberty and prosperity of these islands and, whether our ruin is achieved by a violent blow or by administration in subtle doses of slow poison, is only a secondary matter. Britain would be laid low and the only question at the post-mortem would be: 'Did she fall or was she pushed?'

"The Socialist tries to lead us to disaster by foolish words and the Communist by violent deeds. We must show ourselves equally capable of meeting and beating them, whether it is a matter of words or deeds.

Churchill derided the Socialist claims of seeking to place life on a nobler plane, and commented on the foreign nature of Socialist minds. "Even their dreary gospel," he said, "comes from Germany and Russia. British Socialists are well known to be the dullest in the world. They have merely gulped down what Karl Marx and Lenin handed over to them." Churchill warned against the "dark power of Moscow" and said: "There we have what was never known before--a band of cosmopolitan conspirators gathered from the underworld of the great cities of Europe and America, in despotic possession of what was once the mighty and famous Empire of Russia. These men are ceaseless in their endeavors to spread revolution throughout every land. There is no country more the object of malignity than this island home of ours, which has so long preserved democratic freedom with order and responsibility in all classes."

Reform Judaism, like liberal "Christianity," is a movement in decline

Numerous items on the decline into irrelevancy and eventual extinction of liberal churches can be found on this blog under the tags of "Liberalism" and "Apostasy." The same appears to be true for Reform Judaism, which, like liberal "Christianity," seems to be social and political liberalism covered with a thin veneer of religion. As reported by Ayala Or-El of Ynet News, November 22, 2025:

Reform Judaism in the United States is confronting years of declining membership, shrinking attendance and mounting financial pressures, prompting many synagogues to repurpose space and rethink how they engage congregants.

Across the country, Reform congregations report dwindling dues income as sanctuaries sit half empty. Unused rooms are increasingly being leased for activities ranging from knitting circles and art workshops to lectures, polling centers and musical or theater performances. Leaders say the rentals help keep buildings open but also symbolize a shift in how synagogues function as community centers.

The trend reflects broader changes in American Jewish life. While the Orthodox community continues to grow and attract young families, both Reform and Conservative congregations report steady drops in membership and lower turnout at religious services. Demographic shifts, evolving expectations among younger Jews and new approaches to community life are reshaping institutions that once operated on longstanding models.

Reform synagogues have long grappled with a pattern in which families depart after a child’s bar or bat mitzvah. By contrast, Conservative congregations have largely maintained stable membership numbers, creating a divergence that has led to closures, mergers and significant financial strain for Reform institutions.

One such case occurred two years ago in Woodland Hills, where the long-standing Temple Aliyah merged with nearby Shomrei Torah Synagogue. The combined congregation, now called HaMakom, was created to serve as an inclusive community open to Jews of all backgrounds, levels of observance and gender identities.

Rabbi Jonathan Aaron, who has led Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills since 1996, said conversations about declining Reform membership are not new. “I grew up in the Reform movement and this is something people talked about 30 years ago and even earlier,” he said. “There is a decline worldwide in the younger generation’s understanding of the importance of belonging to a synagogue and being part of the Jewish community. I think it has less importance today than it once did. At the same time, I also see young people wanting spirituality and seeking depth and meaning.”

Aaron said economic pressures and the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to the drop in membership. “We didn’t gather for two years and people got used to participating on Zoom,” he said. “There is less focus on Jewish institutions right now. When I was growing up, people belonged to a synagogue to be part of the community. I don’t think people see it the same way today.”

He noted stark differences between Orthodox and Reform synagogue life. “Orthodox Jews depend heavily on their synagogue,” he said. “They pray there three times a day and come every Friday night and Shabbat. In many ways it is the center of their lives, and that is a fundamental difference from how Reform Jews relate to their synagogue.”

Aaron said the perception of obligation is at the heart of the challenge. “Some Reform Jews feel that once their children have had a bar mitzvah, they are done,” he said. “In my view, a 13-year-old is only beginning to understand the beauty of Judaism. That requires ongoing learning and guidance.”

The divide is also visible in attitudes toward worship. Temple of the Arts in Los Angeles holds High Holy Day services in the Saban Theatre, combining traditional prayers with lectures, musical performances and opera. Supporters say the format makes synagogue life more inviting and relevant for young families. Many Orthodox Jews, however, view the approach as a departure from tradition and a dilution of the sanctity of the day. At Temple Emanuel, an early childhood program and a school through 12th grade help sustain long-term involvement. Reform congregations without schools often struggle to retain families and face sharper membership declines.

The long-term drop in participation reflects a broader transformation within American Judaism. As Orthodox communities expand, Reform and Conservative institutions face demographic change, shifting spiritual preferences and younger generations who seek meaning outside traditional frameworks. Many synagogues are adapting through rentals, cultural programming or expanded educational offerings to keep their doors open.

Whether Reform Judaism can stabilize remains uncertain. The movement offers spiritual flexibility and a path for those seeking personal connection to Jewish life outside strict traditional practice. But the lack of long-term commitment and the focus on temporary experiences continue to challenge its institutions. Some Reform Jews may migrate toward Conservative or Orthodox communities if they seek more structure or deeper communal obligations.

For now, Reform Judaism remains a vital force in American Jewish diversity and spiritual innovation. Its future, leaders say, depends on its ability to retain members and offer meaningful experiences that resonate with the next generation.

See also my posts:

An example of a dead church morphing into a community centre (January 26, 2014)

An example from Edmonton of a community service centre masquerading as an evangelical church (January 22, 2015)

More examples from Edmonton of community service centres masquerading as churches (December 31, 2015)

Anglican Church of Canada will be dead by 2040, according to its own report (December 22, 2019)

An example from Saskatoon of a community service centre masquerading as a Christian church (March 28, 2016)

100 years ago--Canadian Anglicans envision new social order (September 30, 2023)

The Anglican Church of Canada is repurposing its buildings because it can no longer fill them (June 22, 2025)

Vatican opens prayer room for Muslims

Yet another step preparing the way for the religion of the Antichrist, as reported by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz of Israel365 News, October 19, 2025 (links in original):

The Vatican Apostolic Library, one of the world’s most prestigious repositories of religious scholarship, has confirmed it now provides a dedicated prayer space for Muslim academics visiting its collections. This move has ignited passionate debate about the growing ties between the Vatican and Islam.

The revelation emerged from an interview between Italian newspaper La Repubblica and Father Giacomo Cardinali, the 48-year-old Vice Prefect of the Vatican Library. Speaking casually about the institution’s role as a global research hub, Father Cardinali disclosed: “Some Muslim scholars have asked us for a room with a carpet for praying and we have given it to them.”

The comment, embedded in a broader discussion about the library’s digitization efforts and extraordinary collection, has since reverberated through Catholic and interfaith circles worldwide.

The decision represents a historic departure from Vatican tradition. As the center of the Catholic Church, Vatican City State has never before hosted non-Catholic places of worship within its borders. The world’s smallest sovereign nation—with a population of approximately 800 residents—consists entirely of Catholic citizenry and clergy. The establishment of a prayer space for Islamic worship, even in the context of academic hospitality, marks an unprecedented accommodation in the Vatican’s 95-year history as an independent state.

This makes Father Cardinali’s seemingly casual announcement all the more significant, as it introduces for the first time a designated space for non-Catholic religious practice within the walls of Vatican City.

Orthodox Jewish law forbids Jews from praying inside or even entering a Catholic church.

Catholicism and Islam are not theologically compatible as Islam considers Catholicism to be idolatry. Catholicism affirms the Trinity and Islam strictly rejects any division or plurality in the divine. Its foundational doctrine, Tawḥīd, asserts the absolute oneness of Allah. Associating anyone or anything with God — called shirk — is considered the gravest sin in Islam. In Islam, Jesus (ʿĪsā ibn Maryam) is a prophet and messenger of Allah, not divine. Islam denies the divinity of Jesus, the incarnation (God becoming man), and the atonement through the crucifixion. In Islamic theology, Jesus is subordinate to Allah.

Founded in 1475 by Pope Sixtus IV, the Vatican Library houses approximately 80,000 manuscripts, 1.6 million printed books, 100,000 engravings and prints, and countless artifacts from diverse civilizations. Among its treasures are “incredibly old Qurans” alongside Hebrew, Ethiopian, Arabic, and Chinese texts that span centuries of human knowledge.

Father Cardinali emphasized the institution’s universal character. “We are a universal library, with Arabic, Jewish, Ethiopian collections, and unique Chinese pieces,” he explained, noting that the library even discovered it holds “the oldest medieval Japanese archive outside of Japan.”

The prayer room provision appears to be a pragmatic response to the needs of international researchers rather than a formal policy announcement. The library admits up to 60 scholars daily, requiring applications that include letters of introduction, proof of academic qualifications, and valid identification. While the institution already accommodates various scholarly needs—from ergonomic workstations to archival gloves—this marks the first publicly acknowledged provision for Islamic worship on Vatican grounds.

Father Cardinali framed the decision as routine hospitality within an academic context, describing it as part of the Vatican’s effort to support a diverse international scholarly community rather than a theological statement.

The gesture is a continuation by Pope Leo XIV, who ascended to the papacy in May 2025, of the policies of Pope Francis.

In his inaugural address, the new pontiff invoked the 2019 Document on Human Fraternity signed by Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi, stressing the importance of “fraternity” between Catholicism and Islam. Under his leadership, the Vatican has hosted several inter-religious events, including a joint Christian-Muslim prayer vigil for peace in the Middle East in July.

In contrast, the Vatican has frequently ignored the validity of Judaism. During a 12-day tour of four Southeast Asia and Oceania nations, Pope Francis gave an address, stating that different religions are all; paths to god. When detailing this, he omitted Judaism. In 2021, Pope Francis hosted an inter-religious prayer service titled “Prayer for the sons and daughters of Abraham” at a ziggurat marking the site in Iraq purported to be the birthplace of Abraham. The event was attended by Christians, Muslims, Mandaean-Sabaean, Yazidi and other religious groups. No Jews were invited.

The prayer room disclosure has drawn sharp criticism from traditionalist Catholic voices who view it as a dangerous compromise of Catholic identity.

LifeSiteNews, a conservative Catholic news outlet, quoted Deacon Nick Donnelly calling the move “a total betrayal of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” arguing that permitting non-Christian worship in a Catholic space undermines the Church’s evangelistic mission. Novus Ordo Watch, a sedevacantist blog representing ultra-traditionalist Catholics, condemned it as “Vatican II theology in action.”

Many critics have highlighted what they perceive as a lack of reciprocity, noting that non-Muslims are strictly forbidden from entering Islam’s holy city of Mecca. Some characterized the decision as “effectively allowing a rival faith to set up shop on its property.”

The unprecedented nature of the accommodation has intensified these concerns, with critics arguing that allowing non-Catholic worship in Vatican City itself—not merely in Catholic institutions abroad—crosses a symbolic threshold that compromises the Holy See’s unique identity.

The friendliness of the Roman Catholic Church toward Islam goes back at least as far as the Second Vatican Council, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has provided a page full of Vatican Council and Papal Statements on Islam from 1964-2013. There are too many quotes to be include in this blog post, so the reader is invited to click on the preceding link. Here are a few early examples, which may come as a surprise to those who think that the attitudes of Popes Francis and Leo XIV are a recent phenomenon.

107. Then we see another circle around us. This too is vast in extent, yet not so far away from us. It comprises first of all those men who worship the one supreme God, whom we also worship. We would mention first the Jewish people, who still retain the religion of the Old Testament, and who are indeed worthy of our respect and love. Then we have those worshipers who adhere to other monotheistic systems of religion, especially the Moslem religion. We do well to admire these people for all that is good and true in their worship of God. (Pope Paul VI, Ecclesiam suam, August 6, 1964)

16...But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. (Second Vatican Council, Lumen gentium, November 21, 1964)

3. The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth,(5) who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting.

Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom. (Second Vatican Council, Nostra aetate, October 28, 1965)

“I deliberately address you as brothers: that is certainly what we are, because we are members of the same human family, whose efforts, whether people realize it or not, tend toward God and the truth that comes from him. But we are especially brothers in God, who created us and whom we are trying to reach, in our own ways, through faith, prayer and worship, through the keeping of his law and through submission to his designs.

“But are you not, above all, brothers of the Christians of this great country, through the bonds of nationality, history, geography, culture, and hope for a better future, a future that you are building together? Is it not right to think that in the Philippines, the Muslims and the Christians are really traveling on the same ship, for better or for worse, and that in the storms that sweep across the world the safety of each individual depends upon the efforts and cooperation of all?...

“I salute all this efforts [of civic and political cooperation] with great satisfaction, and I earnestly encourage their extension. Society cannot bring citizens the happiness that they expect from it unless society itself is built upon dialogue. Dialogue in turn is built upon trust, and trust presupposes not only justice but mercy. Without any doubt, equality and freedom, which are at the foundation of every society, require law and justice. But as I said in a recent letter addressed to the whole Catholic Church, justice by itself is not enough: ‘The equality brought by justice is limited to the realms of objective and extrinsic goods, while love and mercy bring it about that people meet one another in that value which is man himself, with the dignity that is proper to him’ (Dives in misericordia, encyclical letter ‘On the Mercy of God’).

“Dear Muslims, my brothers: I would like to add that we Christians, just like you, seek the basis and model of mercy in God himself, the God to whom your Book gives the very beautiful name of al-Rahman, while the Bible calls him al-Rahum, the Merciful One.” (Pope John Paul II, address to representatives of Muslims of the Philippines, February 20, 1981)

Trinity Episcopal Church in Toledo provides more evidence that the Episcopal Church is thoroughly apostate

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. II Timothy 3:5

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Romans 1:24-32

Trinity Episcopal Church in Toledo is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio in the Episcopal Church, what passes for mainline Anglicanism in the United States. Click on these three links, and it won't take long to find evidence that all three organizations are thoroughly apostate. Trinity Episcopal Church has a new rector (or should that be rectum?); as reported by Sarah Readdean of the Toledo Blade, August 14, 2025 (bold, photo in original):

(Photo credit: Philip Kaplan/The Blade)

The Rev. Jon Richardson says he has “crippling stage fright.”

He still does theater — alongside his husband, director Michael Kidney — but prefers to stick to behind-the-scenes work.

And meanwhile, the Episcopal priest of 16 years has gotten comfortable with preaching every week.

“I was terrified for years, but now I’ve kind of come into my own,” Reverend Richardson said. “On one hand, it doesn’t activate my stage fright because it’s kind of like it’s not me because I am embodying priest in that moment. But on the other hand, the most naked and vulnerable you can be is talking about your experience of faith. It's a complicated thing. I’ve just figured out how to do it.”

His sermons have changed in the last few months since he moved from the East Coast to northwest Ohio as the new rector at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Toledo.

“I’m growing as a preacher here because of the kind of community it is. I’m finding my voice changing a lot because of the kind of community this is,” the 46-year-old said. “I feel like I’m becoming more of myself, like I feel the freedom here to really let loose, just to let myself go.”

Trinity advertises itself as “a progressive, inclusive, and creative community of faith” — making it a perfect fit for the priest who said he had always known a church like this existed.

After seeing the Toledo church was looking for a new priest, Reverend Richardson said, he was “immediately enchanted by the place,” and knew the members of this growing congregation were his people.

“These people are doing something different; they’re being the church in a way that almost nobody else is,” he recalls thinking when he first found Trinity. “I have to remind myself that we’ve only been here four months, because it’s been such a natural, easy fit. I kind of feel like I’ve been here forever.”

Time of transition

Over the course of the last three years, Trinity has had three different priests. Its former rector, the Rev. Lisa Tucker-Gray, left in 2023, and the Rev. Stephen Applegate served as interim rector for 14 months.

“Staff has had a lot of transition, and he has come in [saying], ‘Let’s start really envisioning where we’re at a year from now,’” Heather Meyer, director of operations for the church, said of the new rector. “He’s been really great at that.”

The congregation has been warm and welcoming to their new priest, his husband, and their dog, Tino, since they settled into Ottawa Hills in March. “I’m here for the long haul,” Reverend Richardson said, noting that his priorities right now are building relationships with the parish and city and seeing where God is calling the parish.

Trinity’s 33rd rector was raised in Louisiana and spent the last 20 years in the Northeast, primarily in New Jersey. His father is a United Methodist pastor and the young Richardson said he first felt called to ministry at age 16. He came out as gay two years later at a time when the United Methodist Church was not accepting of queer clergy. (It wasn’t until last year that the denomination voted to lift its ban on that.) He spent some time away from the church but got a taste of the Episcopal Church while working as a paid singer in a church choir during college. There he felt comfortable and drawn to its liturgy. He eventually decided to study church history instead of vocal music performance, and ended up pursuing ordination in the church.

The Episcopal Church has been “theoretically inclusive” since 2003 when Bishop Gene Robinson was ordained as the first openly gay bishop in the church, and it’s been “increasingly inclusive” since then, Reverend Richardson said.

His early years in ministry were spent working on the institutional level to foster relationships and conversations around sexuality between Anglicans worldwide. He also contributed to legislation that would include transgender people in the church's nondiscrimination canons.

Celebrating Pride

Having long been involved in various social service and justice initiatives in Toledo, Trinity is recognizable at 316 Adams St. by its Pride flag and Homeless Jesus sculpture. It also makes its space available to community groups.

The new rector said he’s moved by the action, service, and vision that take place there and that it helps him feel like he's part of something bigger than himself.

The 188-year-old parish has a number of activities lined up for the 16th annual Toledo Pride.

The weekend kicks off Friday with a Pride Family Picnic, including drag performers and a gender-affirming clothing swap, from 5 to 8 p.m. on the church plaza.

Hospitality for the Toledo Pride Parade begins at 10 a.m. at the church, which will open its bathrooms and a cooling station to the public and offer water and snacks. About 20 members will march with the Better Together: Faith Communities United for Pride movement, and Bishop Anne Jolly of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio may be joining from Cleveland, the priest said.

A Big Queer Pride Service will be a 10 a.m. affirming liturgy Sunday in the sanctuary, which has been adorned with 15-foot rainbow banners hanging from the buttresses. “We’re always a little bit queer,” the priest said, but this service will be especially rainbow focused.

“Each year, we try to figure out a way which we can engage just a little bit stronger, more creatively,” Meyer said of Trinity’s involvement in the annual event. The queer-affirming parish is the only church along the downtown parade route, she noted.

The Revs. Megan Allen-Miller and Melanie Forrey organized the Better Together initiative last year, bringing together about 300 people from more than 30 area faith communities across nine denominations. This year, they’re welcoming six groups that hadn’t participated last year, which Pastor Forrey of Zoar Lutheran Church in Perrysburg said brings in new excitement and energy.

“Pride is such an amazing, wonderful opportunity to come together in celebrating joy,” said Reverend Allen-Miller, priest at St. Andrew’s and All Saints Episcopal churches in Toledo.

“From the beginning, our intention was to be an embodied message of inclusion that demonstrates in a big way how we have a lot more in common than we don’t,” Pastor Forrey said. “Part of that is wearing the same shirt. Part of that is walking behind the shared banner. And we speak together for our shared values of inclusion, for not just the LGBTQIA+ community, but humanity in general.”

"Edmonton's Christian University" schedules a celebration of a Hindu festival

According to the Indian site Book My Pooja (bold in original):

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is India’s grand festival of lights, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Families come together for prayers, feasting, charity, home decoration, and festive joy. It holds immense spiritual and cultural significance across Hindu, Jain, Sikh, and Buddhist communities.

In 2025, Diwali falls on Monday, 20th October, with Lakshmi Puja as the main highlight of the festival.

Diwali 2025 – Main Date and Tithi Details

Main Diwali Date (Lakshmi Puja): Monday, 20th October 2025
Amavasya Tithi Begins: 20th October at 12:11 AM
Amavasya Tithi Ends: 21st October at 10:43 PM
Lakshmi Puja Muhurat: 6:59 PM to 8:32 PM IST

The 5 Days of Diwali Festival 2025

1. Dhanteras (Dhantrayodashi) – Saturday, 18th October 2025
Worship of Lord Dhanvantari and Goddess Lakshmi
Buying gold, silver, brass, or utensils is considered auspicious
Homes are cleaned and illuminated to welcome prosperity

2. Narak Chaturdashi / Kali Chaudas – Sunday, 19th October 2025

Also known as Choti Diwali
Ritual Abhyang Snan (holy oil bath) is performed before sunrise
In South India, this is the main Deepavali day, marking Lord Krishna’s victory over Narakasura

3. Lakshmi Puja (Main Diwali Night) – Monday, 20th October 2025

Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha, and Kuber are worshipped
Diyas are lit to drive away darkness and invite divine blessings
Families perform Lakshmi-Ganesha Puja in homes and businesses

4. Govardhan Puja / Annakut – Tuesday, 21st October 2025

Worship of Lord Krishna who lifted Govardhan Hill to protect devotees
Celebrated with grand food offerings (Annakut) and Govardhan rituals in temples

5. Bhai Dooj / Yama Dwitiya – Wednesday, 22nd October 2025

Celebration of the bond between brothers and sisters
Sisters apply tilak on brothers’ foreheads and pray for their longevity
Gifts and sweets are exchanged in a joyful atmosphere

Why Diwali is Celebrated – Cultural Significance

North India: Commemorates Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya and the lighting of diyas across the kingdom
Gujarat: Marks the end of the financial year, with Chopda Pujan (sanctification of account books)
South India: Celebrates Lord Krishna’s victory over Narakasura
Bengal & Odisha: Diwali coincides with Kali Puja, invoking the fierce form of Goddess Durga
Jainism: Observes Mahavira’s Nirvana (liberation) on this night
Sikhism: Celebrated as Bandi Chhor Divas, marking Guru Hargobind Ji’s release from prison

How Diwali is Celebrated Across India

Lakshmi-Ganesha Puja: Prayers for prosperity, wisdom, and new beginnings
Lighting Diyas: Symbol of light, purity, and spiritual awakening
Decorating Homes: With rangoli, flowers, torans, and lights
Firecrackers: Traditional celebration of joy and the victory of dharma
Feasting and Sweets: Preparation and sharing of homemade mithai like laddus, barfi, kheer
Charity (Daan): Donating food, clothes, or money as part of Diwali dharma
New Clothes: A symbol of renewal and abundance

Modern Tips for a Sustainable Diwali

Use eco-friendly diyas and natural rangoli colors
Prefer green or silent firecrackers to reduce pollution
Gift handmade or local artisan products
Focus on spiritual practices, bonding, and seva (service) rather than materialism

Book Pandit for Lakshmi Puja or 5-Day Diwali Rituals

BookMyPooja offers:

Full 5-day Diwali Puja services, including Lakshmi-Ganesha Archana, Chopda Pujan, Govardhan Puja, and Bhai Dooj rituals
Experienced priests fluent in Hindi, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi traditions
Online and in-person pujas with complete puja samagri kits included
Customized pujas for homes, businesses, and gated societies

One need not understand the meaning of all the terms mentioned in the paragraphs above to see that Diwali is a festival of Hinduism and its derivatives, worshipping Hindu deities. One might therefore wonder why The King's University, which bills itself as "Edmonton's Christian University," has the following in its calendar of events for 2025-26 (bold in original):

Diwali Celebration
Current Students
October 21, 2025
All Day
The King's University

This comes as no surprise to this blogger, who has long warned that anyone who thinks that The King's University and similar institutions are actually Christian isn't paying attention to what's going on.

See also my posts:

"Christian" play The Big Picture reduces the Bible to a two-hour production (February 15, 2012)

20 years ago: Activist Supreme Court of Canada invents sodomite rights in provincial legislation (April 2, 2018)

"Edmonton's Christian University" holds a silent online auction (September 23, 2021)

"Edmonton's Christian University" supports United Nations sustainable development goals (January 31, 2023)

"Edmonton's Christian University" celebrates "Pride Week" (March 8, 2023)

100 years ago--the Scopes trial

On July 21, 1925, high school teacher John T. Scopes was found guilty by Judge John T. Raulston of violating the Butler Act, a statute forbidding the teaching of human evolution in public school in Tennessee. The act had been signed into law by Tennessee Governor Austin Peay on March 21, 1925. Several notable people in the small town of Dayton, Tennessee thought it would be a great publicity stunt for the law to be challenged, with the trial to be held in Dayton. Mr. Scopes, a substitute teacher who wasn't sure if he had actually taught evolution, agreed to serve as the accused in challenging the law. The trial, which became popularly known as the "Scopes Monkey Trial," began in Dayton on July 10, 1925. District Attorney Tom Stewart led the prosecution, assisted by three-time Democratic Party U.S. presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan, who hadn't tried a case in 36 years. The defense, financed by the American Civil Liberties Union, was led by Clarence Darrow, one of America's most famous lawyers and a member of the ACLU.

The trial attracted national and international publicity, covered by journalists such as noted American muckraker H.L. Mencken. The climax occurred on the trial's seventh day when Mr. Darrow, an agnostic, called Mr. Bryan to the stand to quiz him on the Bible. The exchange between the two men went on for two hours, but Judge Raulston eventually ruled the testimony irrelevant and that it should be expunged from the record. Mr. Bryan was planning to put Mr. Darrow on the stand and question him on his beliefs, but Judge Raulston's ruling prevented that, and hastened the end of the trial. Prevented from entering further evidence, Mr. Darrow rested his case without a summation, and requested a verdict from the jury, who took just nine minutes to find the defendant guilty.

Mr. Scopes was fined $100, and filed an appeal. On January 15, 1927, the Tennessee Supreme Court overturned the guilty verdict and fine against Mr. Scopes, ruling that Judge Raulston had usurped the role of the jury. The Butler Act, however, was upheld, and wasn't repealed until 1967. The Scopes trial was regarded as a major event in the battle between fundamentalism and modern science, with "science" winning the public relations battle despite losing the case.

I don't have the time for a lengthy analysis of the Scopes trial, but here are a few resources that the reader may find informative:

Scopes at 100: Cross-examining the “Monkey Trial” by Subby Szterszky of Focus on the Family Canada (this article contains numerous links to other useful articles)

100 Years Later: How The Scopes Trial Resulted In Generations Of Judicially Imposed Public Secularism by Judge Darrell White of Answers in Genesis (July 14, 1925)

Tired of put-downs, Tennessee town corrects the record with play about the Scopes trial it hosted by Kristin M. Hall of Associated Press (July 11, 2025)



They Did This 100 Years Ago, and We’re Still Living with the Consequences--Ken Ham, Answers in Genesis (June 28, 2025)

The Anglican Church of Canada is repurposing its buildings because it can no longer fill them

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. II Timothy 3:5

More evidence of the accelerating suicide of the Anglican Church of Canada, as reported by Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press, June 22, 2025 (photo in original):

The newly renovated St. Paul's Cathedral in London, Ont., is pictured in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - St. Paul's Cathedral, Rev. Kevin George (Mandatory Credit)
When Rev. Kevin George first arrived at St. Paul’s Cathedral, congregants accused him of coming to rip out the pews.

“I was like, ‘OK, everybody take a breath. I don’t have my chainsaw with me,'” he said Friday, a day after welcoming the public into the newly renovated building in downtown London, Ont.

It’s been 18 months since he started working at the church, and the pews are indeed gone.

After much prayer and consideration, the change came with the blessing of the congregation.

George is leading the adaptive redevelopment of St. Paul’s in an effort to keep the Anglican church building alive in a model not unlike the one endorsed by a new report from the Canadian Urban Institute.

It argues churches must change their approach to managing their buildings because declining attendance is putting their longevity at risk. The institute fears the loss of physical buildings could spell the end for the churches’ civic function.

The non-profit’s report says that in addition to their spiritual role, church buildings have long been places where people go for social services, from food pantries to foot clinics and charity bingo to child care.

It was that same argument that got members of St. Paul’s onside, George said.

They asked themselves, “What are we doing with the space and what does that space do for us to allow us to be the church that we need to be today, tomorrow and for generations to come?” George recalled.

“And when we did that work, the barriers began to fall.”

Without the pews, which seated 700, the space can be used in any manner of ways — as a concert venue, a conference hall, and, of course, a space for worship.

The renovations, which also included making the space wheelchair accessible and installing much-needed air conditioning, have cost $1.9 million.

The congregation and Anglican Diocese of Huron have together raised $1.1 million, and they’re now looking to external sources to cover the balance. They’re hoping some funds could come from the City of London, which has endorsed the space as a new creative hub.

The church will also expand its civic role, George said.

“When I moved downtown in January of 2024, one of the overwhelming narratives about St. Paul’s was, ‘I can never get in there. The doors are locked,'” he said. “Well, that’s changed dramatically and will continue to change because our attitude now is ‘doors open.'”

If churches don’t adapt, CUI President Mary Rowe said, they face two major threats: development and decay.

“As urban environments intensify…those kinds of civic spaces that provide this kind of opportunity for informal, casual social interaction, they get encroached upon because the market pressure is such that that building starts to become more desirable for high-end housing,” Rowe said.

“And in small communities where there may not be the same kind of pressure for real estate development, there’s no money or resources to shore up the civic functions of these places.”

The report contends church spaces, which for decades have benefited from tax exemptions, have a duty to continue offering civic services. But a 2019 study by the National Trust for Canada predicted that one-third of Canada’s 27,000 faith buildings, most of which are Christian, would likely close permanently in the next 10 years.

“What we need are new models that get new resources into these places so that you can actually evolve in a way that serves the community around it,” Rowe said.

The report attempts to “unravel the Gordian knot” of how at-risk, faith-built assets like churches should be managed going forward.

That’s a question Rev. Graham Singh has spent more than a decade working to answer.

He’s the senior pastor at St. Jax Church in Montreal and CEO of the charity Releven, which works to preserve and repurpose underused churches.

St. Jax, formerly called St. James the Apostle Anglican Church, is a sort of prototype for the Releven model.

The grand cathedral on Rue Sainte-Catherine ceased operations in 2015. It was in disrepair and maintenance was extremely expensive because of its heritage designation. It reopened the following year under the new name.

“A challenge is the building itself,” Singh said. “Raising money to repair the roof, which is this heritage-listed slate roof that has to be repaired with like-for-like materials. And then the same thing with the masonry, which is a very expensive 150-year-old stone construction.”

But now, the building is home to four separate congregations and a non-religious non-profit, which will soon handle management of the building. Secular tenants of St. Jax include organizations that work in refugee resettlement, food security and youth employment.

Meanwhile, the City of Montreal is in the final stages of a process to acquire the green space outside St. Jax with the goal of turning it into a park.

Singh also knows about the complexity of working with the municipal government.

In order to make all the changes to how the St. Jax building operates, his organization had to prove they had the historic right to change the site’s purpose and use.

That heritage impact assessment has become part of the Ville-Marie Pilot Project, which opens the door for other churches in the city to share their space with non-religious groups, he said.

“The city has indeed been updating their zoning and urban planning framework to allow more of that to be happening in other locations in the future,” Singh said.

Through Releven, he’s taking that experience and helping other churches leverage it.

The CUI report found one of the barriers for churches looking to change their business model is a lack of knowledge on the part of local leadership.

“There’s very few examples of a congregation or a diocese or an owner of a faith building that have been able to do it by themselves because of the complexity of these buildings and the regulatory environment,” said Jennifer Barrett, managing director of programs, planning and policy at CUI.

Some churches have partnered with real estate developers.

Among them is All Saints’ Anglican Church in Winnipeg, whose lands are now home to West Broadway Commons, a 110-unit housing project. Fifty-six of those units are affordable.

But in many cases, Barrett said, churches are resistant to that sort of change and fearful of giving up control.

“It is challenging for faith communities to let go of their buildings,” she said.

George said that was true for the congregation at St. Paul’s. Ultimately, they decided that they should retain ownership of the property.

“We would have become sort of a tenant in our own space, and the Diocesan structure of the Anglican Church doesn’t work well for that,” George said.

“We’re working on what we believe will be a public-private partnership to administer this going forward because we know we’re going to get very busy. I mean, we’ve only just moved in yesterday, and we’re already receiving calls. There’s a demand here for a space like this.”

According to its own 2019 report, the Anglican Church of Canada will be dead by 2040. A similar report from 2006 warned that the church would be dead by 2061, so the pace of decline has accelerated.

See also my posts:

An example of a dead church morphing into a community centre (January 26, 2014)

An example from Edmonton of a community service centre masquerading as an evangelical church (January 22, 2015)

More examples from Edmonton of community service centres masquerading as churches (December 31, 2015)

Anglican Church of Canada will be dead by 2040, according to its own report (December 22, 2019)

An example from Saskatoon of a community service centre masquerading as a Christian church (March 28, 2016)

100 years ago--Canadian Anglicans envision new social order (September 30, 2023)

50 years ago--the Anglican Church of Canada votes to ordain women to the priesthood

As reported by Canadian Press and published in the Montreal Gazette, June 19, 1975:

QUEBEC--Ordination of women to the priesthood was approved last night by 88 of 106 lay delegates to the 27th general synod of the Anglican Church of Canada.

Seventy-five of the 105 clergy voted yes while 26 of the 34 in the House of Bishops voted their approval.

It was the second time the synod had approved the ordination of women. Approval in principle was given at a 1973 synod but it is necessary for a second synod to approve the action for it to become fact.

Also approved was a resolution that women be ordained at the discretion of diocesan bishops after consultation with the House of Bishops.

This allows a bishop to refuse ordination if he opposes the principle.

On this motion, 95 of the lay delegates voted yes and nine no. The clergy voted 86 in favor and 19 against while bishops voted 27 for and seven against.

There are deep feelings in the church on the question. It has been before Anglican communions since 1862 when a bishop of the Church of England ordained a deaconness. The Canadian church has deaconnesses.

The Lambeth conference of 1968 accepted the principle that deaconnesses are within the diaconate but it does not ordain them as priests.

The general synod of 1973 approved ordination in principle but specified that it not be implemented until the House of Bishops developed a pattern that included an education process.

As reported by Canadian Press and published in the Montreal Gazette, June 20, 1975:

...The final act of synod was to state that no person should be penalized as a result of synod's accepting the principle that women be admitted to the priesthood.

Two decisions of major import affecting the entire church were made at the week-long meeting with synod stting that women can be priests and deciding to end negotiations for union with two other Protestant churches.

Both steps troubled the delegates and feelings during debate ran high, even nearing the end as the "conscience clause" was adopted.

This came out of Wednesday's synod acceptance of women priests. Many in the house said it was "sad" that a church law was necessary to enforce an idea that should be accepted by a Christian church.

Archbishop [E.W.] Scott said the action was necessary for canonical and legal reasons.

The adopted resolution said:

"No bishop, priest, deacon or lay person, including postulants for ordination of the Anglican Church of Canada, should be penalized in any manner, nor suffer any canonical disabilities nor be forced into positions which violate or coerce his or her conscience as a result of general synod's action in affriming the principle of the ordination of women to the priesthood..."

Some bishops oppose ordination of women on theological grounds and have said they will refuse to ordain them. They were given discretion in this but it was feared by many clerical and lay members that penalties would be imposed if they refused...

Putting women in positions of leadership in a church is not only a sign of further apostasy to come but also of how much apostasy has already progressed. How has the Anglican Church of Canada's 1975 decision worked out? In 1975 there were 1,015,016 people listed on parish rolls. It peaked in 1964 at 1,365,313. By 2022 it was down to 294,931, a 70% decline since 1975 and more than 78% since 1964. According to its own 2019 report, the Anglican Church of Canada will be dead by 2040. The ordination of women as priests was a major step in the church's process of suicide.

100 years ago--The United Church of Canada is founded

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Acts 20:29-30

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Ephesians 5:11

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. I John 2:18-19

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 3-4

The modern ecumenical movement, which began with the World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh in June 1910, had already been underway for 15 years when, on June 10, 1925, the United Church of Canada was founded as a merger of the Methodist Church, Congregational Union of Ontario and Quebec, two-thirds of the congregations of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and the Association of Local Union Churches (a movement predominantly of the three provinces of the prairie provinces). 7,000-8,000 representatives attended the founding assembly at Mutual Street Arena in Toronto. In contrast to today, the assembly received so much newspaper coverage that it occupied the front page of the Toronto Daily Star on June 10, with articles appearing on the first seven pages of that day's edition.

M.G. Hammond reported in the June 11, 1910 edition of the Toronto Globe that the United Church had about 800,000 members in 9,000 congregations. Membership in the United Church of Canada peaked in 1964 at 1,064,000. By the end of 2023 the number of United Church congregations had dwindled to 2,451, with a total of 325,215 members--a decline in membership of approximately 70% since its peak. I don't have time to go into detail on the decline of the United Church of Canada, but it can be summed up in one word: apostasy. If you want to know about the current state of the United Church, just look at its website--especially during the month of June, when the UCC takes pride in what God calls an abomination (Leviticus 18:22).

I also recommend my previous posts on the United Church of Canada, especially the one on the 1964 Sunday School curriculum:

Calgary Herald blasts United Church of Canada for advocating a boycott of Israel (May 15, 2012)

Canadian Senators warn United Church of Canada over proposed boycott of Israeli goods (July 6, 2012)

A secular columnist accurately assesses Canada's declining liberal churches (July 30, 2012)

United Church of Canada elects its first openly sodomite moderator (August 16, 2012)

50 years ago: United Church of Canada unveils Sunday School curriculum denying the truth of the Bible (August 1, 2014)

80 years ago: United Church of Canada ordains Canada's first female minister (November 7, 2016)

Amalgamation of congregations in Edmonton provides more evidence of the continuing decline of the United Church of Canada (January 31, 2017)

30 years ago: New Ager Matthew Fox delivers keynote lecture at Queen's Theological School (October 11, 2017)

50 years ago: United Church in Calgary experiments with modern music (June 15, 2018)

Mainline church leaders 50 years ago advocated methods used by "evangelical" churches today (November 6, 2018)

Atheist minister with United Church of Canada keeps her job after an agreement in lieu of a heresy trial (November 16, 2018)

50 years ago: Canadian Anglican traditionalists oppose union with United Church of Canada (June 21, 2019)

United Church of Canada holds racially segregated mandatory workshops--for "racial justice" (May 31, 2021)

"Interfaith" service is appropriate for the retirement of United Church of Canada pastrix (July 30, 2023)

50 years ago--a couple of items related to ecumenism (April 26, 2025)

Recent political events in Canada expose another false prophet

When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. Deuteronomy 18:22

For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. Ecclesiastes 5:3

The wisest prophets make sure of the event first. Horace Walpole

On January 6, 2025, Justin Trudeau announced his intention to resign after more than nine years as Prime Minister of Canada. His resignation took effect on March 14 when he was succeeded as Prime Minister by Mark Carney, who had succeeded Mr. Trudeau as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada on March 19. Mr. Carney obtained a dissolution of Parliament several days later, and a federal election was called for April 28. The election resulted in the Liberals winning their fourth straight minority government, their total of 169 seats falling three short of the total required for a majority of the 343 seats in the House of Commons.

The result must have come as a shock to Solomon Davies Ikhuiwu, founder and leader of God Heal Our Land, a charismatic ministry that typically misuses II Chronicles 7:14, applying it to Canada instead of Israel. As reported by Lee Harding of the Western Standard, April 12, 2025 (link, photo in original):

Solomon Davies (right) and Pierre Poilievre in Hamilton in Ottawa 2024 (Photo credit: Solomon Davies)

Two prominent Canadian Christian leaders are turning to prayer as the federal election draws near, fervent in their belief that the result is at stake.

Hamilton evangelist Solomon Davies launched the Canada Prayer Challenge at the end of January. The online prayer meeting was only meant to last 40 evenings, but still continues due to the importance of the election campaign.

In an interview with Western Standard, Davies said he attended an event on Parliament Hill with seven pastors from his area last October. recalled asking Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre for permission to pray for him in person, which he received.

"The Lord wanted me to tell him that he will be the next prime minister of Canada. This was what I told him October of last year. And I was so sure of what I said to him, because whenever God speaks to me, I run with the word."

The minister said he saw Poilievre again at a well-attended rally in Hamilton two weeks ago and encouraged him again.

"I was like, 'Hey, we're praying for you.' He was like, 'Yeah, we need your prayers.'"

Davies said being a prophetic voice is outside his typical ministry. Nevertheless, he believes a dream he had on April 6 carried divine significance.

"In my dream, Pierre was about to give his victory speech from the campaign the election, I'm close to the front and I'm excited. I'm in anticipation."

However, Poilievre did not emerge as expected.

"To my surprise, the person that came out of the door was not Pierre. It was actually a pastor who was an intercessor [person of prayer] for the nation. I saw my dream, he is praying over the crowd, not on the microphone."

Davies declined to name the man, given he did not have his permission to do so, but believes that he symbolically represents the Church.

"It's almost like the Lord has left it to the church not only to go vote or to campaign for for righteous leaders, to go door knocking for them, to volunteer for them, but the most important thing besides...is praying for this election," Davies said.

"If the church gets lazy, we don't pray, we don't fast, anything can happen, because there's such a thing as election fraud, right?"

From New Brunswick, My Canada founder Faytene Grasseschi sent an email blast on Tuesday to urge Christians to pray for the election.

"Over the last few days, I have felt an increasingly strong impression that I need to fast for our nation. The urgency was growing," Grasseschi wrote.

"This morning, one of my dear friends, Shirley Hildebrandt, messaged me to let me know that TODAY is the 21st day to the federal election and she was feeling to call a fast.

"As soon as I read Shirley's message, I knew that this was what the Lord had been trying to speak to me: a 21-Day Fast."

Hildebrandt is hosting daily prayer calls over Zoom at Noon Eastern through April 29. Grasseschi is organizing an online national day of prayer for Holy Thursday, April 17, which will run from 11 am to 5 pm Eastern.

"We know what is at stake: (possibly) charity status for churches and Christian ministries, increasing debt, a federal unity crisis, parental rights, expanding assisted suicide even more...just to start," Grasseschi said.

"I feel weepy. It is time to cry out for mercy for our land. We don't deserve it, but perhaps He will give it if we humble ourselves and pray."

The website of God Heal Our Land doesn't seem to have been updated recently; it would be interesting to hear Mr. Ikhuiwu's explanation of how God had given him a prophecy that proved to be false. This is the kind of self-deception that happens when you believe that God speaks to you directly through dreams instead of just relying on the Bible, which is the only completely trustworthy source of prophecy.

As for the election, this blogger regars the result as more evidence that Canada is already under God's judgement, and that's likely to continue until He returns.

50 years ago--a couple of items related to ecumenism

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos 3:3

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. II Timothy 3:5

Manmade efforts to unite nominal Christian churches have never quite been able to succeed; could that be because God isn't behind these efforts? From back in the days when most newspapers had a religion page and/or section on Saturday, here are a couple of items that appeared on the first page of the religion section of The Edmonton Journal, April 26, 1975 (headlines in original):

Catechism joint effort

LONDON (Reuter)--A new move toward Christian unity--a joint Protestant and Roman Catholic catechism--has been introduced here.

The common catechism, published in Britain on April 21, is the first book on Christian belief to be produced by a mixed team of Protestant and Roman Catholic theologians.

It was first issued two years ago in German, edited by two Swiss theologian scholars.

The English-language translation, published by search press, has the blessing but not the official recognition of both Protestant and Roman Catholic church leaders.

Doctrinal questions such as the existence of God and approaches to faith are tackled in the catechism, which is more than 650 pages long.

The Common Catechism: A Book of Christian Faith, by Johannes Feiner and Lukas Vischer, was the work of Roman Catholic, Lutheran Church, and Reformed Church theologians, and was published in English by Seabury Press on January 1, 1975.

Union losing impetus

ORILLIA, Ont. (CP)--The moderator of the United Church of Canada says the proposed union of the United and Anglican Churches "seems to have slowed down in the past few months."

Speaking at a Muskoka presbytery rally, Dr. Wilbur Howard of Ottawa said the United Church "is waiting anxiously for a circularization in the membership of the Anglican Church to see how mwmbers of the general congregation feel about the union."

He noted that the Anglican House of Bishops recently made public a report affirming a possible union.

But, he said, "they found the plan of union unacceptable."

"In the United Church we did not seem to have a clear understanding of the role of the bishops. Also the United Church believes that women should be ordained.

"Maybe we pushed too hard and maybe we didn't listen enough. But it was a good try. Union can't be imposed, it can only come when we work for it. I think it's part of the future."

Dr. Howard also said that the United Church is including in its "design for the future" husband and wife acting as ordained ministers. He said such ministries are being considered for Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario.

As reported by Henry Overduin of the Montreal Gazette, June 20, 1975 (bold in original):

The decision this week by the Anglican synod meeting in Quebec City to reject the plan of union with the United Church is not as big a blow to ecumenism as might first be believed.

The plan of union was killed early February, when the bishops rejected it, commenting that it did not even provide a useful basis for continuing talks.

The synod, less brusquely but with the same result, confirmed the bishops' decision although accepting the plan as a study paper. But that's just a euphemism for "putting it on the shelf" where the plan of union will gather dust until some historian or archivist decides to peruse it.

LACK OF INTEREST

Lack of interest in schemes leading to organic union among Protestants is simply a fact of ecclesiastical life today.

This lack of interest, for example, is illustrated by the response to the so-called circularization of the Anglican church membership on union talks with the United Church.

That circularization--a poll--was decided on after the bishops rejected the plan of union, and something had to be done fast to assure the United Church that the Anglicans were still sincere about church union.

It was also made plain at the outset that the poll was not a referendum, that its results would not be binding on the church.

Results of the poll showed that while 72.1 per cent of eligible clergy responded, only 11 per cent of the eligible laity did.

The clergy were roughly divided half-and-half on the desirability of continuing talks--494 said yeas, and 473 said no. The general membership was also divided. A total of 33,396 favored continuation of the talks, and 28,930 were against.

But, based on the small sample and its volunteer nature, this poll hardly constituted a reliable gauge of Anglican sentiment.

As has been said before, it would be wrong to read into the synod's negative decision what is not really there, namely, that the ecumenical movement has suffeed a major setback. The concern of the ecumenical movement , in its general sense, was in fact affirmed. In this general sense, the ecumenical movement seeks to express the unity of the church in ways other than organizational charts.

NOTHING NEW

Also, the Anglican synod did go on record as favoring a continuation of talks based on a step-by-step approach to greater unity, instead of the grand plan originally proposed. But that's hardly new.

What can be expected--based on the leadership of the Church of England--is a greater movement toward unity with the Roman Catholic Church.

And, if one is to go by logic, isn't that the only sort of institutional direction the ecumenical movement can take?

As reported by Canadian Press and reported in the Montreal Gazette, June 20, 1975:

...Two decisions of major import affecting the entire church were made at the week-long meeting with synod stating that women can be priests and deciding toend negotiations for union with two other Protestant churches.

Both steps troubled the delegates and feelings during debate ran high...

In his closing remarks Archbishop [E.W.] Scott expressed his personal regrets to representatives of the United Church of Canada and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as they returned home to face the "difficult task" of officially informing their churches of the church-union decision.

General synod Tuesday found the plan of union that the three churches unacceptable, and though it expressed its willingness to continue to seek unity, its decision was viewed as a final turndown after 32 years of talks.

Among other resolutions pushed through swiftly as the synod sought to clean up its business--much was left unfinished--was one that called upon local committees and other church groups to determine and report if any of their financial investments are in banks or corporations that have trade or have investments in South Africa. The committees were told to sell such holdings as soon as possible.

The church has gone on record as opposing and deploring apartheid--separation of the races--in that country.

All dioceses were asked to study and respond to the concept of a guaranteed annual income for Canadians.

A memorial for the diocese of Edmonton asked that the Anglican Book Centre, a publishing firm, determine if it were financially possible to reprint the 1938 hymn book, now out of print.

It has been superseded by a joint hymn book adopted in 1971 by the Anglican Church and the United Church, which many members do not like. Many churches continue to use the old book

. The Anglican Church of Canada ordained its first six priestesses on November 30, 1976--40 years after the United Church of Canada began doing so--but formal unity of the two churches has never occurred. The two are united, however, in their increasing apostasy. The Anglican Church, according to its own 2019 survey, will be dead by 2040, and it will come as no surprise if the same isn't true for the United Church. The United Church's intention of having husband and wife as ordained ministers seems quaint in 2025; ordaining alphabet perverts wasn't on the radar screen in 1975. To see the United Church of Canada's downward slide as measured by its views on "Gender and Transgender Justice," go here and get the timeline right from the horse's mouth (or should that be the ass's butt?).

Nigerian primate and "prophet" warns Peoples Democratic Party of satanic forces

The Peoples Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in Nigeria, and is regarded as being on the center-right of the political spectrum. Its candidates won every presidential election from 1999-2011, but the PDP's share of the popular vote has been declining in recent years, not only in presidential but in congressional elections. INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church is led by Primate Elijah Ayodele, who is described as "God's Mouthpiece, Global Prophet, Father of Nations, Great Leader, A Teacher." Readers are advised to remember the following warning when the Nigerian elections occur in 2027. As reported by Seun Opejobi of the Lagos Daily Post, March 14, 2025:

The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, on Friday revealed that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may not have a presidential candidate in 2027 if the party doesn’t wake up from its slumber.

Primate Ayodele stated that the party needs to retrace its steps, as there are satanic forces in place aiming to ruin it completely.

In a statement by his spokesman, Oluwatosin Osho, Primate Ayodele said that even if the PDP eventually has a legally recognized candidate, the party will lose disgracefully.

He said: ‘‘If care isn’t taken, PDP will lose in 2027 unless they retrace their steps and undergo a total cleansing. PDP will not even come second, let alone third, in the election. There are satanic forces that will ruin PDP until the party dies unless they wake up.”

The prophet stated that the party must turn to God in order to survive because it is rapidly declining, and those who have the power to save it are neither listening nor willing to implement the necessary reforms.

“They need to run to God, or else the party won’t survive 2027. PDP is dying rapidly, and those who can save it won’t listen. In some states, like Lagos, the party’s candidate will not stand a chance. If care isn’t taken, PDP may not even be able to produce a candidate in 2027 because there is a satanic spell on them. Important personalities will continue to decamp,” he said.

However, he stated that the party still has 91 days to begin the process of getting back on track, or else it will only take God’s mercy for a resurrection.

“The party has 91 days to start the process of getting back on track because the spirit of hatred and irritation has been invoked against PDP, and it will only take the mercy of God for them to rise again,” he added.

75 years ago--Americans divided on euthanasia

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: Deuteronomy 30:19

It did come as a surprise to this blogger to come across this item from 1950 and see the large percentage of Americans who supported euthanasia. This was just five years after the end of a war that Americans and their allies fought against the Nazis, under whom euthanasia morphed into mass murder, followed by the Nuremberg trials of the perpetrators for crimes against humanity. I've been dismayed to see belief in the sanctity of human life declining over the last 50-60 years, but I didn't know it was already fairly low even 75 years ago (assuming the results of the survey are accurate, of course). As reported by the Canadian Institute of Public Opinion and published in the Calgary Herald, February 27, 1950 (bold in original):

PRINCETON, N.J.--Public sentiment in a coast-to-coast survey by the American Institute is closely divided on the principle of euthanasia or mercy killing.

The weight of opinion is against the idea, but the margin is very close.

In testing the nation's views on this controversial and much discussed issue the Institute patterned its question after the model bill proposed by the Euthanasia Society of America. This proposal would call for the consent of the patient, and an examination by a board of doctors appointed by a court.

Here are the questions used in the survey and the vote:

A. "When a person has a disease that cannot be cured, do you think doctors should be allowed by law to end the patient's life by some painless means if the patient and his family request it?"

B. If no, or no opinion, ask: "Would you approve of ending a patient's life if a board of doctors appointed by the court agreed that the patient could not be cured?"

Thirty-six per cent indicated approval and another 7 per cent on the second part, making the total as follows:

Favor mercy killing------43%
Oppose mercy killing-----46%
No opinion---------------11%

Opinion on the issue is not greatly different now from what it was when the Institute first tested sentiment with a similar question 13 years ago. There has been a small increase in the vote in favor.

The Sander case in New Hampshire and the Carol Paight case in Connecticut stimulated nationwide discussion of the pros and cons of legalized euthanasia.

When I read this article I had never heard of the Sander and Paight cases, but a quick Google search produced some results. First, the case of Dr. Herman Sander--as reported by Australian Associated Press and reported in the Cairns Post, January 5, 1950 (bold, capitals in original):

EUTHANASIA CASE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

DOCTOR INDICTED.

DEATH OF CANCER PATIENT.

NEW YORK, Jan. 3 (A.A.P.). A Manchester, New Hampshire, grand jury of 21 middle-aged men, was convened to-day to consider whether Dr. Hermann Sander should be indicted for murder. Sander, who is 40, has been accused of the mercy killing of an incurable woman cancer patient, by the injection of air into her veins, as she lay on her hospital deathbed.

The judge, instructing the jurors, asked if any had signed any of the widely circulated petitions supporting Dr. Sander. There was no response.

Sander, who is on bail, continued calling.on his patients to-day. He told reporters that he still felt his action was not legally or morally wrong, and added: "I believe my position ultimately will be vindicated.

Meanwhile euthanasists have made plans to use the Sander case as a wedge in seeking the adoption of "a mercy death law."

The vice-president of the Euthanasia Society of America (Mrs. Robertson Johns) said in NewYork: "This is absolutely the best case, yet for our cause. It is good, because of Dr. Sander's integrity, and because he did not hide what he did."

A member of the New Hampshire Legislature (Mr. Ray Sawyer) said be felt that something should be done about légalising mercy deaths. He suggested that physicians should draw up such a Bill. Later Dr. Sander was indicted by the grand jury on a charge of first degree murder.

According to Rick Holmes in the Derry News, June 30, 2011:

Probably you heard that earlier this month — June 3, 2011 — Dr. Jack Kevorkian died. He was of course the so called "Doctor Death." Last year, there was even a Hollywood movie about his career. His passing brought back to memory those events of a decade ago when we were all talking about the right — or wrong — of physician-assisted suicide.

While all the country's attention has been on Kevorkian, it is interesting to know that the very first trial for medical euthanasia involved a doctor who had once lived in Derry. In 1950 — exactly 50 years before the Kevorkian trial — there was the trial of Dr. Herman Sander.

Sander (1908-1996) was born in New York, the first child of George and Ada Sander. Ada had been born in New Jersey but George had emigrated from Dresden, Germany, in 1888. He was a 1901 graduate of Stevens Institute of Hoboken, N.J. with a degree in electrical engineering. Shortly after Herman's birth the family moved to Derry. Here, George Sander was employed as superintendent of the Derry Electric Company. They lived in an apartment at 71 East Broadway, directly across from today's McGregor Library Building. After a few years in Derry, the family moved to Manchester where he was employed with the Traction, Light and Power Company — the concern that ran the Manchester and Derry Trolley.

Herman grew up in Manchester and, while attending Central High School, he became the state's first Eagle Scout. He studied at the University of Munich and received his undergraduate degree at Dartmouth College (1930) and his medical degree from New York University. His entire career was spent practicing in the Manchester area.

In 1949, Mrs. Abbie Borroto lay dying of cancer in the Hillsborough County Hospital. The 60-year-old woman was suffering; she was racked with unbearable pain that no amount of medication could ease. During that year, she had wasted from 140 to 80 pounds. It seemed likely to most that she had only a few days to live. All day and night she was screaming for someone, anyone, to help her die.

Herman Sander was her doctor and knew he was powerless to reduce her suffering. He then gave four injections of air directly into her veins. She died painlessly in about 10 minutes. Dr. Sander entered into her medical records exactly what he had done. Sander's supervisor read the entry and reported the death to the police. An arrest warrant was quickly issued for Sander that charged him with wrongful death. A grand jury soon found that there was enough evidence to hold a murder trial.

In 1950, Herman Sander became the first doctor ever put on trial for "mercy killing." The trial was held at the Hillsborough County Courthouse and was attended by reporters from all over the state and nation including novelists Fanny Hurst and John O'Hara. The prosecution was led by future U.S. Sen. Louis Wyman. On the witness stand Dr. Sander told the jury he thought Mrs. Borroto was already dead. But if that were true, why did he gave a dead patient the injections? In answer to that question, all he could say was, "Why I did it I cannot tell. It didn't make any sense."

All across America there was an active debate on Dr. Sander and mercy killing. Evangelist Billy Graham said the court should find him guilty of murder and make "an example" of him. In his hometown of Candia, 605 of the town's 650 registered voters gave Sander a "written testimonial of his integrity and goodwill."

In Derry, the local Baptist and Catholic Church were strictly opposed to euthanasia. They based their arguments on the scriptural command that "Thou shall not kill." It may be supposed that most of the other Derry pastors were also in favor of Sander being found guilty.

The first clergyman in the greater Manchester area to come out in public support of Sander was Rev. Dr. Charles S. Milligan of East Derry's First Parish Church. To make sure everyone knew his views, he announced a week before, the topic of his next sermon. That Sunday, the sanctuary of the church was filled to overflowing.

Pastor Milligan began his sermon with the declaration that "I believe God does not enjoy human suffering. I question that those who don't want it (euthanasia) have the right to deny it to those who do." He went on to say that doctors have been performing mercy killing for millennia but it has always been hidden. If euthanasia was made legal then it can be regulated for only extreme cases of suffering. He concluded by saying that now "only the honest doctor gets punished."

On March 9, 1950, the jury took just 71 minutes to find Herman Sander not guilty on the all charges. Today this verdict is viewed by many as being an example of jury nullification — a guilty man had been set free because the 12 men and women in the jury room didn't believe in the law against mercy killing.

Despite being found not guilty, the state refused to give Sander back his medical license. He could no longer practice medicine in New Hampshire. To support his wife and three daughters, the doctor was forced to work as a farm hand. In time, the New Hampshire Medical Board did give him back his license. He retired in 1974 after 33 years as a physician. He spent his remaining years as a beekeeper in Candia. In 1979, Candia honored him as "the most influential individual in town." Sander died in 1996 at a Manchester nursing home at 87 years of age.

The case of Carol Ann Paight occurred around the same time. As reported by Australian Associated Press and published in the Adelaide News, February 2, 1950 (bold, capitals in original):

U.S. GIRL KILLER "WAS INSANE"

New York, Wednesday.

--A psychiatrist today testified that Carol Paight was insane when she fired the fatal "mercy" bullet at her father.

He said she had not recovered her sanity nearly three weeks later.

Carol, 21, killed her father in hospital after learning he had incurable cancer. She is charged with second-degree murder.

Dr. Clifford Moore, medical director of a mental institution, was called as a witness after the girl's mother had given evidence that there had been in sanity both in her family and her late husband's.

Dr. Moore said Carol was insane when he examined her 19 days after the shooting. He didn't know whether she had recovered yet.

As reported by Mara Bovsun in the New York Daily News, June 19, 2010 (updated April 9, 2018):

If one thing was clear in this sad case, it was that Carol Ann Paight loved her father. She loved him so much that she could not bear to see him suffer. So she killed him.

Her father, Police Sgt. Carl Paight, 52, was a good-natured family man, adored by his wife, Mary, 52 and children, Carol, 21, and Carl, Jr., 22, both college students. They lived in a modest home in Stamford, Conn.

By all accounts, Sgt. Paight was the kind of dad every child deserves – responsible, good to their mother, and fun. The family spent hours swimming and sailing, and even chores were enjoyable when he was around.

It all came to a crashing end in September 1949. Sgt. Paight had not been feeling well, so he checked into a Stamford hospital. The doctors recommended exploratory surgery, scheduled for the 23rd.

During the operation, Carol and her mother, both devote Roman Catholics, went to church to pray.

Their prayers went unanswered. Back at the hospital, Dr. William E. Smith gave them the worst possible news. Sgt. Paight’s body was “riddled” with cancer, and he had, at most, three months to live.

Carol knew what that meant. Two of her aunts, Agnes and Alice, had died of cancer, and she witnessed these vibrant women shrivel away in agony. The experience had instilled in her a deep terror of the disease.

“Don’t tell Daddy!” Carol screamed when Dr. Smith delivered the news. Then she grew glassy-eyed and pale, and started babbling. Carol didn’t appear to hear anything, and seemed to be in a world of her own.

The Paight women returned home, but Carol didn’t stay. She swiped her father’s service revolver, and headed back to the hospital, stopping briefly at a spot in the woods to take one practice shot.

With the gun wrapped in a jacket, she returned to her father. Moments later, nurses heard an odd noise, like a tray dropping, and saw the tall, blond girl in the doorway of Paight’s room. Inside, they found the gun on the bed, and a bullet wound in the patient’s head.

“I shot him,” Carol told them. Then she became hysterical.

Later, as members of her late father’s squad guarded her, she seemed calm and detached. At around 8:30 p.m., she told Capt. William J. Lynch that she didn’t care what people thought or what would happen to her. She couldn’t stand to see her dad suffer.

The girl remembered nothing the next morning. She recalled hearing the doctor’s dreaded words, but after that, everything was a blank.

From the start, sympathy was with the girl. Civic leaders and businesses took up a collection for her defense. “It is my honest belief and firm conviction that the case of Carol Paight deserves extreme sympathy and leniency,” Stamford Mayor George Barrett told reporters.

Nevertheless, the district attorney had no choice but to arrest Paight, charging her with second-degree murder. It carried a life sentence.

The girl’s plight ignited a long-smoldering debate over mercy killing. In the 1930s, two groups were building a movement around the right to die – England’s Euthanasia Legalization society, and the Euthanasia Society of America. Both groups took keen interest in the case.

By the time Paight’s trial opened on Jan. 23, 1950, two more mercy killings were grabbing headlines. A New Hampshire doctor, Hermann Sander, had been arrested for injecting air into the veins of a dying cancer patient. In Ontario, Can., engineer Ralph Kilbon’s mentally ill wife had tried to kill herself with a bullet to the abdomen. When Kilbon found her, she was dying and in pain, so he shot her to finish what she started.

In Paight’s trial, everything hinged on the girl’s state of mind at the time of the killing, a period that Carol could not remember.

Witnesses swore that she certainly looked insane, swinging from shrieks and sobs to periods of calm, glassy-eyed detachment. Psychiatric experts for the defense said the news about her father had caused temporary insanity, and pushed her into a “fugue state” in which her subconscious mind controlled her actions.

The outcome was not hard to predict when the prosecution’s expert witness was booed for voicing the opinion that the defendant had been sane, and knew exactly what she was doing when she pulled the trigger.

Also helpful was the composition of the jury. It was made up entirely of parents – mothers and fathers with children about the same age as the accused.

After about four hours’ deliberation, the jury found her not guilty. Carol went home, and got on with her life. By September, a year after her father’s death, she had some good news, a wedding. “Carol Paight, the schoolgirl who was acquitted of the mercy-slaying of her cop-pop … is blessed eventing,” wrote legendary gossip columnist Walter Winchell a few months later.

The president of the Euthanasia Society said Paight’s acquittal was a “vindication” of his group. Ministers came out in support of mercy killings, and physicians went on record saying that they had, on occasion, made lethal doses of morphine available to the incurably ill.

For a time, it seemed as if Paight’s story might open a floodgate of mercy killings, especially after the two other high-profile cases ended in acquittals.

But the tide turned. In November 1952, another woman, Lois Curtiss, 33, stood in the same courthouse as Paight. Curtiss was accused of murdering her cancer-ridden father by turning on the gas jets in their apartment, an act that left her partially paralyzed. She said she had been motivated by love, and her only goal was to end his suffering. But the judge saw this death as “one of those killings which dramatists and sob sisters call a mercy killing” and sent her to prison.

Carol Ann Paight (center) is comforted by her brother Carl, Jr., and her mother, Mary Nolan Paight, during the Paight trial in Bridgeport, Conn. (Photo by Walter Kelleher/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

In both the cases mentioned above as well as the notorious Canadian case of R v Latimer (1997, 2001), I'm struck by the willingness of so many people to believe that the killing was motivated by love. Who says the killer was motivated by love? The killer. Robert Latimer was a farmer in Saskatchewan whose 12-year-old daughter Tracy had severe cerebral palsy and was in constant pain, which may have been eased by surgery. Mr. Latimer murdered Tracy while the rest of the family was at church, but claimed that she had died in her sleep. Police became suspicious when an autopsy revealed high amounts of carbon monoxide in Tracy's blood, and only then did he admit that he had killed her by connecting a hose from the exhaust pipe to the cab. Mr. Latimer was charged with first-degree murder, was convicted of second-degree murder, and served almost 10 years in prison before being granted full parole in December 2010.

It disturbed me then, as it does now, that an Ipsos-Reid poll conducted in 1999 found that 73% of those responding (it should be kept in mind that Ipsos-Reid admits, but doesn't publicize, that 70% of the people they contact refuse to talk to them) believed that Mr. Latimer acted out of compassion, and 41%--a plurality--believed "mercy killing" shouldn't even be against the law. It doesn't help that the media focus on the instances in which killing has taken place rather than those in which people in positions such as Mr. Latimer don't kill their loved ones. A former pastor of mine and his wife are parents of a son with multiple disabilities that require round-the-clock care. His parents aren't trained caregivers, aren't wealthy, have to work for a living, and have other children to take care of as part of living their lives. They found an institution in which their disabled son could receive the care he requires, and had him placed there. The institution is hundreds of miles and several provinces away from the parents, but they visit him several times a year, and the last I heard, reported that he was receiving excellent care. This is far from an ideal situation, but in a fallen world, this was the best choice they could make. Unfortunately, this example of true Christian compassion seldom gets any press.

Unfortunately, Canadian society has deteriorated so far and so fast since the Latimer case that he wouldn't even be charged today. Under the Orwellian-named MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying), introduced by the "Liberal" regime of Justin Trudeau in 2016, MAiD deaths have increased from 5,665 in 2019 to 15,343 in 2023, making it the fastest-growing such program in the world. Very few of these people are dying; rather, they're people who have problems in living, and a disproportionately high percentage are poor. This is exactly the way it happened in Germany in the 1920s and '30s, culminating in mass murder and genocide during World War II. My father fought against the regime that did that; I'm glad he's not around to see what became of the country he fought for.