The General Election.—The British people have given expression in no uncertain way to their distrust of government of this country by Socialists. It is not for us to enter into the reasons that may have influenced the electorate to so emphatically express their distrust, but all friends of constitutional government have rejoiced in the victory. As to the purely political aspect of the questions involved, we offer no opinion here, but there can be no hiding the fact, whatever may be said about, some individuals, that Socialism has its driving power in its setting aside well-known and important rules and laws set before men by God in His own word. That many Socialists do not go the length of the extremists is willingly admitted, but the best of them are in dangerous company. It ought to be the prayer of every Christian patriot that God would give wisdom to the party in power, so that while opposing Socialism, they would also oppose Socialism’s great ally—the Church of Rome. Unwise use of power may produce a reaction that will throw the country into the throes of revolution, and there is therefore great need that every one who loves his country should pray to God that the Constitutional party in the State may be wisely led in their legislative enactments.
Socialism and Roman Catholicism.—In the Church of Rome we have one of the most intensely autocratic institutions in the world, while in Socialism we have the opposite extreme. Yet, strange to say, these two are working hand-in-hand, and there can be little doubt that as far as Scotland is concerned that the strength of the Socialist vote, especially in the industrial areas, is largely due to the support received from the alien Irish vote. John Welsh’s wife (Knox’s daughter), with womanly smartness met King James’s retort that the devil never made such a match as Welsh and Knox by saying—”It’s right like, sir, for we never speired (asked) his advice.” But we are not left in doubt that the devil had a good hand in joining together Socialists and Roman Catholics, in view of the end towards which both are working.
American Youth.—The fearful, cold-blooded crime recently committed by two University lads of Chicago, sons of millionaires, gave occasion to many writers in the press to make references to lack of moral training of the young in America. Recently, Judge Talley, in welcoming a new colleague in the busiest criminal tribunal
in the States—the Court of General Sessions in New York—said that his colleague would be broken-hearted to find that the vast majority of those brought before him would be under twenty years of age. “We have been so much afraid,” he added, “that one religion would gain an advantage over another that we have adopted the cowardly course of eliminating all religion from our schools. Our young criminals, without religious instruction, have grown up as pagans. Of course, Judge Talley may be a Roman Catholic for all we know, but we certainly hold that Bible instruction in the day schools is a good thing. But if the insidious poison of the Higher Criticism is instilled into young minds, or if they are reared in the false doctrines of the Church of Rome, we need expect no blessing or any lessening of youthful criminals.
A Forward Move by the Devil.—Satan is ever busy—he does not believe in saints or sinners living a hum-drum life if he can help it. One of his latest moves is to get the vicar of St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, London, to have afternoon drama services on the Lord’s Day. A new play, entitled “Gold,” was produced by the Mystical Players. Satan has been paving the way skilfully for many years for services like this. He was careful to introduce the new order gradually, and whenever he heard the slightest whisper of objection, he had always some one ready to put the question—”What harm is there in it?” The services were well attended and highly appreciated. Surely the chaste bride has become a harlot when a professing church of Christ can be guilty of such conduct.
France and the Vatican.—The abolition of diplomatic relations with Rome, according to the “Morning Post’s” own correspondent is evidently fully determined on by the French government. Another question in which M. Herriot is likely to get into a great deal of trouble is his attempt to banish the Roman Catholic Church from teaching religion in the Alsace-Lorraine schools which by the fortunes of war are now under the French government. Alsace does not appear to favour this move.
No Bibles for Russia.—The Rev. Wellesley Jones of Chester at a meeting of the British and Foreign Bible Society held at Corwen, Merioneth, said the Society had been forbidden to send Bibles to Russia. Up to last year the Society sent 600,000 Bibles to Russia every year. Poor Russia! Her rulers have shut the doors against God’s word reaching her down-trodden sons and daughters.