Those who have heard the Rev. Ken Campbell speak at pro-life rallies know what to expect of him. Each chapter in this account of his recent experiences begins with an appropriate Scriptural quotation; the style is direct, vigorous, and argumentative; there are plenty of exclamation marks. Whites are white and blacks are very black; Attorney-General Ian Scott is described as “the subversive of the decade,” a judges opinions are full of “mindless cant.”
Because of his involvement with the pro-life crusade, Campbell’s account of his experiences of his experiences from 1984 to the present constitutes a record of such protests in Toronto during the period he covers. He supplements his own recollections with accounts by colleagues in the pro-life movement, with press releases, newspaper accounts, letters to public officials, briefs to Parliament, and so on. He describes picketing at the Morgentaler clinic, the establishment of “The Way Inn” and “The Way Out,” his fruitless attempt to effect a citizen’s arrest on the above-mentioned Attorney-General for his failure to shut down the Morgentaler abortuary, the trials of Constable Packer, his own participation in Operation Rescues and the arrests, times in jail, and court cases arising out of them.
Campbell does not fail to praise those who accomplished the rescue of innocent babies, and their mothers, form “the Gates of Hell” – the abortion “clinic.”
One of his criticisms perhaps requires special attention: “the refusal of the Roman Catholic Church to require Christian conduct of its communicants.” “In the little congregation which I am associated with,” he writes, “any member who would deny Christ’s pro-life position in fulfilling the duties of public office, would be suspended from active membership.”
The failure of the leadership of the largest Christian community in Canada to require such integrity in faith and practice of its communicants, he maintains, is the prime reason why the killing goes on unabated and unrestricted by Parliament, a majority of whose Roman Catholic members have denied their votes for abortion the faith which they profess.
The indictment is severe. Can one say it is undeserved? Recognizing the “pro-choice” movement Lucifer’s suicidal “declaration of independence,” this doughty fighter for justice remains confident that in the long run the dignity and worth of every individual will be acknowledged in our country. His confidence is based on his faith, a faith which is strong and vibrant, a faith which deserves to be respected. May he keep up the good fight.
