‘Christianity Debased’

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31976, 1 May 1969, Page 15

‘Christianity Debased’

(N:Z.P.A.-Reuter-Copyright BELFAST, April 30. In his farewell speech on television last night, the Northern Ireland Prime Minister (Captain Terence O’Neill), who has resigned, said:

“To those of you who have so loyally supported me, who in times of trouble have sent me countless letters, telegrams and other messages, I want to say this: Do not be dismayed. What you and I were trying to do was right. Morally right, politically right, right for our country and all who seek to live in peace within it. “Justice, equality, generosity—these are enduring standards, and it is far more important to proclaim them than to sit on a fence wondering which way to jump.

“But any leader who wants to follow a course of change can go only so fat. For change is an uncomfortable thing to many people and, inevitably, one builds up a barrier of resentment and resistance which can make further progress impossible. “In my judgment, and in that of my good friends whom I have consulted, I have reached that moment What is now impossible for me may be—l do not know—easier for someone else.

“But I have no regrets about the six years in which I have tried to break the chains of ancient hatred. I have been unable to realise during my period of office all that I had sought to achieve. Whether now this can be achieved in my lifetime I do not know. But one dav these things will, and must, be achieved. “Here we are, in this small country of ours, Protestants and Roman Catholics, committed by history to live side by side. “No solution based on the ascendency of any section of pur community can hope to endure. Either we live in peace, or we have no life worth living. “For too long we have been torn and divided. Ours is called a Christian country. We could have enriched our politics with our Christianity, but far too often we have debased our Christianity with our politics. We seem to have forgotten that love of neighbour stands beside love of God as a fundamental principle of our religion. “I was moved, as many of

you must have been, to see the leading clergy of Derry, Protestant and Roman Catholic, side by side, in the streets of that troubled city. This simple fact of Christian friendship was a shining example of what would have been possible but for the machinations of wicked men who have preached and practised hatred in the name of God.

”... I called the election to afford you the chance to break out of the mould of sectarian politics once and for all. In many places, old fears, old prejudices and old loyalties were too strong: yet I am not among those who say that the election served no useful purpose. For it did allow me, with my loyal colleagues, to proclaim a new declaration of principles which now binds every Unionist returned to Parliament.

“It speaks in clear terms of justice and equality; it commits the party, in honour and in conscience, not merely to do nothing to enlarge the divi-

sions of your community, but to work positively to end them. You will be watching, as I will be, to see to it that these pledges are honoured. “There is no other course: democratic government must rest upon the consent, not just of those who elect the ruling party, but of the people as a whole. “And I remind you once again, as I have done so often before, that Ulster is not a rich, powerful independent State, but a part of the United Kingdom, committed to United Kingdom standards and subject, in the last resort, to United Kingdom authority. “We must go forward, for British public and Parliamentary opinion would not tolerate our going back. “And now the .time has come for me to say farewell. My wish for you, and for the province we all love so much, is for peace. We must pray for peace and we must also work for it: the politician in Parliament; the clergy in the churches, the working people in our farms and factories.

“Look about you at the present state of our country, and try to answer the question: ‘ls this really the kind of Ulster that you want?' I asked you that question once before. And now, as then, it is only you who can answer.”