St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1954-11-26
JOHANNESBURG

SOhARA"AfEft7BSANN
tell you naught for your comfort
Yea. naught for your Desire.
Save that the sky grows darker yet
And the sea rises higher -.
q. X. chssterton;
Ballad OF the white Horse
The question which poses itself
10 any intelligent Christian In
South Africa today Is two-fold.
How Ia he TO persuade his fellow
whites that they are in deadly
danger OF betraying their faith by
ignoring It's implications? How Is
he TO persuade his African breth-
rem that Christianity IL a living
religion which stands for certain
fundamental principles - amongst
them love and Justice? Or. 10 put
the position in a slightly different
formulas tho twenty-fifth hour
already struck, and has the
Church lost the battle In this day
and generationf
! have come TO the conclusion
that in fact there Ia no future for
the missionary work OF the
Church in South Africa unless II
recognizes at once that II In
caught up into tragic situation
which needs immediate and des-
perate remedies. And I can see no
sign either that the Church does
recognize this fact. or that II has
any real desire 10 apply swift and
remedial action.
Marks OF Tyranny
The Department OF Native AZ
fairs has recently Issued a circular
which makes It clear that any
church daring through II represen-
tatives TO criticize DR. verwoerd,
the Minister OF Native Affairs.
lays itself open TO the closure of
its missionary work In locations at
three months notice. am now
more convinced than ever that the
State OF South Africa has already
become a tyranny and that In
consequence Christians with con-
science should be prepared TO re-
sist Its laws and take the conse-
quences. I should like 70 try TO
justify this statement with cer-
tain simple facts.
The basic conception OF govern
ment which affects all Legislation
In the Union today is not Apart
held, thought that Is It's corollary
but White supremacy, This Ia
stated and admitted freely not
only by the Government by by the
Opposition though In the latter
case II In sometimes described
rather differently. II is because
the vast majority of the European
population accept this concept
as necessarily right that they are
fully prepared TO remain supine
when II 10 supplemented In act
Az I write. have just had the
news that one OF my African
friends, devout Christian. has
been banned and his movements
prescribed for two years, This
kind OF procedure has now been
taken against virtually all African
and European leaders OF any
standing In South Africa, inelud-
ing a great many trade unionists
Yet. White South Africa, remains
silent, either approving whole
heartediy such totalltarian meth
DDS or taeitly accepting them as
part OF a pattern OF life which has
become familiar.
And here Is the point White
South Africa In predominantly
Christian The missions are still
prepared TO negotiate with the
Government for instance. in the
matter OF native education, they
are still prepared TO believe Tor
are theyTl that some good can
come out Of this great evil,
Clinging To Privilege
White Christians have voted the
Government into power and are
prepared 10 vote Il into power a
gain II this means that their posi-.