BY REV D. M. MACDONALD, PORTREE.
AFTER nearly 560 years’ experience of Christian teaching and privileges one would imagine that our country would be an exemplary nation from the religious and moral standpoint. An impartial survey, however, shows that despite our many religious privileges, we are not as a generation improving either in morals or religion. It is to be feared that there is a steady decline in family worship. That is in itself a sign of spiritual death reigning in the hearts of those who neglect this important duty, whether professors of religion or not. Unless godliness is cultivated in the home, it will never flourish in the State. Among the people connected with us as a Church we believe that family worship is maintained by the great majority, and that the means of grace are more or less regularly attended. At the same time, there are some who are lax in these matters, and the Committee would urge upon such to amend their ways, and make diligent use of their precious Gospel privileges. Just as there are certain symptoms in bodily disease that indicate the nature of the illness, so there are various symptoms in public life that show we are departing from right standards of conduct and fine ideals. The be-all and end-all of existence with many appears to be pleasure and amusement. For such the serious affairs of life are of no account in comparison with a football match or cinema film. Recently in Glasgow, 100,000 people attended a football match, while comparatively few went to the trouble of voting in the Education Authority election, although the contest was largely Protestant versus Roman Catholic. A growing disregard of life and contempt of the marriage tie are becoming conspicuous features in our national life. It is to be regretted that certain newspapers are lending themselves to the unsavoury work of reporting in full the nauseous details of murder trials and divorce cases, some so-called “Sunday” newspapers being particularly guilty of this. These papers are helping to lower the moral tone of the people, and in the opinion of many the publication of such details are an outrage on Christian sentiment and a menace to public morality. Two years ago the President of the National Institute of Journalists said that journalists all over the country were ready to co-operate at any moment to cleanse the press, and it is a pity that since then no law has been passed for that purpose. The first thing that should be done is to abolish the “Sunday newspaper,” because of its debasing and demoralising influence. It is to be hoped that a bill will yet be passed to suppress newspaper reports of objectionable cases, but permitting a resume being issued by the judge who may try such cases. A writer in the press called attention lately to the alarming number of divorce cases in the law courts, and mentioned that on one day a certain judge dealt with 145 cases. He advocated the severe punishment of such as are guilty of adultery, justifying his remark by pointing out that the Word of God approved of the death penalty for this offence. This may be extreme talking from the New Testament point of view, but marital unfaithfulness in view of the solemn vows made before God, and man should be drastically dealt with.
The growth of superstition, class selfishness, and lack of parental control are growing evils. Fortune telling, the wearing of charms, and spiritualistic seances all prove that many are forsaking Christian ideals and becoming pagan in their beliefs. The Committee deplore the increasing disregard of the Lord’s day prevalent all over the country. By many the Sabbath is turned into a day of pleasure, and the time that should be devoted to the worship of God is misspent and profaned by careering about in motor-cars, motor-cycles, and char-a-bancs. New inroads are being made on the Sacred Day by the L.M.S. Railway Company and Golf Clubs. The former have advertised a large new service of Sabbath trains, and some golfing clubs appear to be encouraging their members to play on the day of rest. Trading on the Sabbath appears to be on the increase, and ice-cream shops especially are a great temptation to irresponsible young people, and are helping to foster the spirit of irreverence and disrespect for the Lord’s Day. A determined effort should be made by the Churches and public bodies to get legislation passed for the suppression of Sabbath trading and the closing of ice-cream shops, which apparently at present cannot be compelled to close on the Sabbath. These places are usually run by foreigners, who have no regard either for the religion or Christian sentiments of a Sabbath-loving people. Workers in Glasgow bakeries have complained that they are forced to work on the Sabbath, owing to some new system of wrapping the bread. We trust arrangements will be made for the discontinuance of this practice. Betting and gambling are widespread. Investigations made during the year show that these practices are almost universal and their results ruinous. Behind these evil habits there is a highly organised trade, which has invaded the home, the school, and exploited even little children. The Post Office is flooded with gambling literature, and public works are infested with highly-paid bookmakers’ agents. It would be desirable to press for legislation forbidding the use of public facilities, such as the Post Office and the press, for betting purposes. It is of interest to note that our views on the evil of raffles, lotteries, and prize drawings in connection with church work are now being recognised by many in the larger churches as being scriptural and right, with the result that proposals are now made to warn their people against these evils.
Notwithstanding the enforcement of the Temperance Act of 1913, the need for temperance work continues to be as great as ever. The total amount spent on drink in Scotland last year would not be less than £40,000,000, while about £12,000,000 would be spent on tobacco. Millions extra were spent on amusements and luxuries, while probably not more than £300,000 were spent on foreign missions. One may safely say without exaggeration that £8 per head of the population of Scotland was spent on drink, tobacco, luxuries, and amusements, while less than 1s per head was spent on foreign mission work. This shows that Gospel principles have a very slight hold on the great bulk of our population. Testimony from dry areas goes to show that there has been a great improvement in many directions among the people in such districts. An attempt is being made to amend the Temperance Act (1913), for a Bill was introduced recently in the House of Lords by Viscount Novar, the purpose of which is to get rid of the restrictions that irk the trade, and to give it an improved hold on the community. One feature of the Bill is the suspension of the above Act for eleven years!
With regard to Romanism and Ritualism, there appears to be increasing activity in these circles, and the evident intention of the Romanist authorities is to press to the utmost the privileges they possess under the Education Act of 1918. In England an influential section of the Anglican Church has become alarmed at the advance of Ritualism in that body, and have been active in opposing Romanising tendencies, but so far have not been very successful. It is to be regretted that our Government still maintains the utterly useless and uncalled for Envoy at the Vatican. France, under the Herriot Government, took steps to recall her representative, and the United States, with a much larger Catholic population than Britain, refused to send an Envoy. Malign influences at the Foreign Office may be responsible for the continuance of this foolish embassy, but that does not lessen the Government’s responsibility, and while it continues we, as a nation, are involved in the guilt of aiding that idolatrous imposture and politico-ecclesiastico body—the Church of Rome. The continuous increase of the Irish population in Scotland is becoming a menace not only to Protestantism, but also to Scottish nationality and civilisation. The following statistics reveal how alarming the situation has become. The population of Scotland in the middle of 1923 was estimated at 4,901,100. The figure is 3356 less than that of the previous year. This decrease would not give cause for misgiving were there not the additional fact of the emigration of the Scottish people to be taken into account. The emigration figures for the period between the middle of 1922 and the middle of 1923 shows an excess of 52,345 emigrants from Scotland over immigrants into Scotland. The emigration figures for the period between July 1923 and July 1924 reached the very high number of 69,000. The number of immigrants into Scotland in the same period was 9000. The loss to the Scottish population during the above period cannot be far short of 129,000. “The non-Scottish population do not emigrate. To some extent the decrease in the birth rate accounts for the dwindling Scottish population, but the main cause is emigration. It is noteworthy (continues the report of those who have investigated this matter) that though there has been a very great emigration of Scots from Glasgow, yet the number of unemployed has remained more or less stationary for the last two years. While emigration continues unregulated and unrestricted, emigration affords no remedy for unemployment.” It looks as if many Irish were coming across to Scotland purposely to live on the “dole.” The immigration regulations of the United States of America for 1927 will allow a quota of 83,000 emigrants from Britain and Ulster, while the Irish Free State quota will be only 8000. Probably the great majority of the 83,000 will be Scottish, and the United States will be glad to receive them, while Scotland must be content with the excess population of Ireland which the United States refuses to receive. The Committee are of opinion that steps should be taken to restrict the immigration of Irish Free State people into Scotland in view of the increasing dangers to Protestantism and Scottish civilisation. As time goes on it is becoming more and more evident that the Education Act of 1918 operates in such a manner as to furnish a considerable endowment of the Roman Catholic religion out of State funds, as well as from local rates. There is the further objection that the Act places denominational schools in a favoured position in regard to religious instruction, and gives the Church authorities a right to interfere with the appointment of teachers. The Committee are glad to see that the other Churches are to take action for amending the clauses of the 1918 Scottish Act favouring Roman Catholicism, and they hope that efforts in that direction will be successful.
False philosophy helps to promote unsound views of Christianity, and heretical views will produce wrong practice. In many pulpits Arminianism and Unitarianism are openly proclaimed, while the unscriptural views of the Higher Critics are supported by many who consider themselves evangelicals. It is no wonder that there is a generation growing up in Scotland ignorant of the fundamental doctrines of the Gospel, and that many are becoming the prey of such wretched and miserable caricatures of Christianity as Spiritualism, Russellism, and Eddyism or Christian Science. In a leader on a conference held some time ago on Christian Politics, Economics, and Citizenship, the “Times” said of those who took part in the discussions:—”You are at very impossible things, until you change human nature.” That is the note that is lacking in the false gospel that is so popular with many in our day. Sinners must be born again in order to walk in newness of life and to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
In concluding this report, the Committee would desire to record the goodness of God in raising up in different places witnesses for Himself in these degenerate times, and while urging upon the indifferent and careless the necessity of repentance, would impress upon all who have the welfare of immortal souls at heart, to be instant in prayer for the Church and the nation, and to give the Lord no rest until He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
The condemnation, which we of ourselves deserved, is annihilated by the salvation of Christ.—John Calvin.