Rome Britain’s Enemy.
Rome’s world policy in recent years is so manifestly anti-British, that even such charitably-minded, high-class journals as the Spectator, etc., have had to speak out. We cull the following from a recent issue of the Spectator:—
“Nothing came as a greater surprise to the ordinary British Protestant than to find the Roman Catholic Church ranged in the Great War on the side of his enemies. He was loath to believe the patent facts. But when Roman Catholic Ireland revolted, when Roman Catholic Quebec alone of the Canadian provinces opposed Conscription, when the Roman Catholic Archbishop in Australia led the successful fight against Conscription, and also supported Sinn Fein, when the Pope joined in the German ‘peace offensive’ of the summer of 1917, and his subordinates used his Note to produce sedition and mutiny among the Italian troops at Caporetto, and when the Pope had not a word to say against German violations of the ordinary law of humanity, even the most tolerant of Protestants could not help putting two and two together and concluding that the Vatican must be the centre of an anti-British and anti-democratic movement. It could not be a mere accident that the Papal Master of the Robes, Monsignor Gerlach, was discovered to be the head of a series of foul plots which led, among other things, to the destruction of two Italian battleships. Nor was it by chance that, when General Allenby captured Jerusalem, the Tablet’s Rome correspondent had to write: ‘Jerusalem liberated, and not a bell rang in Rome.’ No. The Vatican favoured our enemies and regretted our victory.”
The Scotland Temperance Act.
As it is now generally known, this Act, passed in 1913, comes into operation this year. Our Synod has unanimously recommended our people to vote for prohibition. There are three options given to the voter: (1) the number of licences to remain as at present; (2) the number to be reduced; or (3) no licence at all. If one-tenth of the voters of a district present a requisition to the authorities for a poll, then arrangements must be made to take it. In order that this vote may be of any use, it is necessary that 35 per cent. of the voters of an area should vote, and, of those voting, that 55 per cent. vote for “no licence,” otherwise it will not be carried.
“Free Catholics” in England.
These are not Roman Catholics, or High Church Ritualists, but Nonconformists who have actually formed a society for what they call “the Catholicization” of Nonconformity. One of their leaders is a Dr. Orchard, a Congregational minister in London, to whom we think reference has already been made in this Magazine. He and his associates urge a return to the Mass and other superstitious rites of the Church of Rome. At a recent Conference, they had a daily celebration of the Mass. This development clearly shows that the unrenewed heart of Nonconformity has a bias towards Popery as well as that of the Ritualistic party in the Church of England. The Bulwark believes that this movement “will die under the weight of the laughter and contempt it is provoking.” We believe nothing of the kind; such is a very superficial view of the matter and of the times in which we live. Something more powerful than human laughter is needed to subdue “old Adam,” namely, the power of God, which in solemn judgment is not much exercised upon the evil hearts or ways of the present generation.