THE General Assemblies of the Established, United Free, and Free Churches met at Edinburgh on Tuesday, 1st June, in terms of the adjournment on 18th May, owing to the General Strike. The Moderators were, respectively—Rev. J. D. McCallum, D.D., Larkhall; Rev. G. H. Morrison, D.D., Glasgow; and Rev. Alexander Stewart, Edinburgh.
ESTABLISHED CHURCH ASSEMBLY.
On Wednesday, Mr J. A. S. Millar, chairman of the General Trustees, gave in the report on the work of the past year, which indicated the progress made for the transfer of churches, manses, and other property from the heritors to the Church in accordance with the Act of 1925. An appeal for £30,000 to cover expenses had met with a very cold reception, only £6189 having been contributed. In view of the Union, Mr Millar said that one of the most important questions which would have to be considered was the necessity for uniting parishes and suppressing unnecessary charges.
A communication from the United Church of Canada was read to the General Assembly. Principal Mackinnon said he brought the first greetings of the latest arrival in the numerous Presbyterian family. Dr White moved that the thanks of the Assembly be tendered to Principal Mackinnon, and that the communication from the Canadian Church should be remitted to a special committee for consideration and report to the next General Assembly. The Assembly would have acted more wisely and in accordance with true loyalty to its Presbyterian traditions if it gave a wide berth to the Canadian United Church.
When the Foreign Mission report was presented, attention was called to the Church of Rome’s tactics in starting mission stations among those of the Church of Scotland in Nyasaland. This development, said the Convener, might help to open the eyes of people in this country to the real aims of the Church of Rome. The aim of the Roman Church was to destroy the Protestant Church in Nyasaland.
On presenting the report of the Committee on Returns to Overtures, the Procurator, Mr William Chree, K.C., said that on the Overture with regard to the Declaratory Articles there were returns from 81 Presbyteries. Of these, 76 were of approval, 4 disapproval, and 1 equally divided. He formally moved that the Assembly pass these Articles as a standing law of the Church. Dr Ogilvie, in seconding, said that never in the history of the Church had an epoch-making resolution been adopted by the Assembly in such short terms. The Procurator’s motion was adopted. Dr Roger S. Kirkpatrick, Yarrow, presented an Overture from the Presbytery of Selkirk, asking that in the event of the Articles being adopted by the Assembly, that assent to them be not required of ministers already ordained who do not in conscience approve of all of the contents of the Articles. A motion not to receive the Overture was carried by a large majority. As we hope to deal later on with these Declaratory Articles, we make no further comment at present.
The Rev. Dr Gordon J. Murray, Aberdeen, submitted the report of the Committee on Education for the Ministry. The number of students showed a decrease of 14 in two years. The usual, but unsatisfactory, reasons were given as an explanation of this decrease; and methods were suggested for increasing the number of students. One speaker, the Rev. W. E. Lee, Perth, suggested that the Assembly should consider the question of opening the ministry to women, and moved to this effect, but his motion was ruled out of order by the acting Moderator (Dr White).
Dr White, Convener of the Committee appointed to confer with representatives of the United Free Church, gave in the report on Friday, 4th June. He declared that “the Church of Scotland was as free as the freest Church in Christendom, and that it was unique in that through a right alliance with the State it was safeguarded in the exercise of freedom.” We hope to show later on that the new legislation has given it a freedom that will probably be its ruin as a Presbyterian Church. He moved that the Committee be now discharged and a new Committee be appointed to confer with a similar Committee appointed by the United Free Church to prepare a Basis of Union. The motion was seconded by Sir Harry Hope, M.P. The Rev. E. E. Williamson, Shurrery, Caithness, moved that the negotiations be suspended for five years, so as to avert a probable disruption. The motion found no seconder. Dr White’s motion was then put to the Assembly and, on practically every member rising to his feet, it was declared adopted.
On Tuesday (8th June), when the report of the Committee on the Church Overseas was presented, the Rev. G. H. Macdonald, Montreal, reported that 113,700 voted to enter the United Church of Canada, while 114,300 voted to remain Presbyterian. The Presbyterian Church had 569 ministers who remained out of the Union and 697 charges. These figures go to show the blundering tactics of the Union leaders, and while between ourselves and the Canadian Presbyterian Church there are very many and important differences we are pleased to know that so many remained outside that strange ecclesiastical production—the United Church of Canada.
When the report of the Home Mission Committee was presented, the Rev. R. N. Thomson, Glasgow, presented an overture from the Glasgow Presbytery regarding the use of halls for whist drives and dances, and asking the Assembly to check a growing abuse of church halls for these purposes. On the motion of Dr White, the matter was remitted to the Home Mission Committee for consideration. It is gratifying that this subject has been taken up, and it is to be hoped that the Committee will suggest drastic measures for dealing with the glaring evil, but it would have been more satisfactory if the Assembly raised its voice unanimously against these worldly and very questionable practices. The Assembly closed its proceedings on the 9th June, when the Moderator delivered his closing address.
UNITED FREE ASSEMBLY.
Dr Mackintosh Mackay, in submitting the report on the Education Committee, called attention to suggested amendments in the Education (Scotland) Act, 1918. The amendments, he said, had the approval of Special Committees of the Established Church and Free Churches and their own Church. The Rev. D. J. Ross called attention to the necessity of these amendments and to the gravity of the Irish ‘invasion.’ Sir Henry Keith, Hamilton, whose utterances on the above subject are very far from satisfactory, spoke in defence of the Education Act, and dragged in the name of John Knox. From what we know of the Reformer’s opinions from his writings, Sir Henry would have a very hot time with John Knox if he uttered his sentiments in his presence. The Rev. D. W. P. Strang, Paisley, moved that the part of the Committee’s deliverance dealing with the suggested amendments be remitted to the Committee pending a further report to next Assembly as to any development of policy on the part of Education Authorities and of the Educational Institute of Scotland. This amendment was carried by a large majority. The Assembly is too lukewarm in this matter so vitally affecting the question of religious instruction in the national schools, otherwise it would not have shelved the matter for another year.
The Union report was given in by Dr Martin, and when the motion was proposed for the appointment of a Committee to prepare a provisional Basis of Union, 631 voted in favour of the motion and 115 against. The minority have issued a Manifesto, in which they say:—”If these Acts [1921 and 1925] are to be regarded as the final word of the Church of Scotland and of the majority in our own Church, then we have no alternative but to lay plans for the continuance of the United Free Church in all the glory of her freedom and self-support.” We have no sympathy either with the Unionists or the anti-Unionists, as the so-called “glory of the freedom” of the United Free Church has been mainly used in departure from the faith, but the ecclesiastics who are engineering the Union may find more trouble than they anticipated, and instead of bringing peace, they may be the active agents in causing fresh disturbance and wrangling in the ecclesiastical life of Scotland.
When the report of the Committee on Church Life and Social Problems was before the Assembly, such questions as the tax on betting and Sabbath observance were discussed. Some of the members favoured the tax, and one minister, the Rev. W. H. Hamilton, moved a motion on Sabbath observance, asking the Assembly to take into consideration the physical repair of severely strained industrial workers and the provision of wholesome mental recreation and occupation for young people, as well as opportunity for worship and church ordinances. In speaking to the motion, he said:—”Considering their work and the home conditions of many of them, it would not do to forbid the hard toilers steamers on the Clyde or charabancs in Edinburgh. If young men could not be got to go to church, he would rather see them playing golf than loafing about on a Sunday or drinking or playing cards.” The Committee agreed to consider Mr Hamilton’s motion, notwithstanding the foolish and unscriptural speech he made. It is such men that have ruined the cause of Sabbath observance in Scotland.
Prof. H. R. Mackintosh gave in the report on the Revision of the Confession Committee. Dr Mackintosh recommended that the Committee be dissolved, as the time was not opportune in view of the prospective Union, of proceeding further with the revision of the Confession, but he expressed a hope that a day was coming when the consideration of the Confession would be taken up afresh and carried to a successful termination. The law of the United Free Church gives sufficient scope for the advanced theologians to make drastic changes in the Confession, and, unfortunately, the same is allowed by the Articles Declaratory of the Established Church, and one need not wonder if, in a few years, this great document of Calvinistic Presbyterianism be cast aside altogether to give place to a creed that will suit modernistic thought. The Assembly concluded its business on Tuesday, 8th June.
FREE CHURCH.
On Wednesday, the Rev. John Calder, Campbeltown, in giving in the Report on the Claim of Right, said the claim of the Free Church was a most reasonable and perfectly constitutional one. They were the historical Church of Scotland claiming all her rights and privileges, and they said to the State—”Give us back what was our own, acknowledge our courts as the courts of the Church of Scotland, and give us our patrimony, at least to the extent to which we are able to use it.” The State had handed over the patrimony to a body of general trustees and gave them to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, who exercised the discretion reposed in them in a manner hostile to the Claim of Right; and in the interpretation of the law they had risen no higher than the Senators of the College of Justice in the decade 1833-43. Concurrently with the approach to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, the Committee approached the Church of Scotland, inviting them to appoint a committee to meet a committee of the Free Church as to an adjustment of Church resources in certain parts of Scotland, particularly in the Highlands and Islands. Pending a reply from the Church of Scotland, comment was not called for, except that no longer could the blame be laid at the door of the Free Church for existing divisions, so far as the Highlands and Islands at least were concerned. Mr Archibald MacNeillage, in supporting the deliverance, said the freedom that the Established Church now had was not the freedom claimed in the Claim of Right, nor the freedom of the Church under the Revolution Settlement. He was opposed to sending any communication to the Established Church, and the original decision of the Committee was to that effect. There was no official reply; but if the unofficial communications did not imply the snub polite it was something nearer to it than ever he had read. From which we may infer that the Established Church do not mean to part with any of their money to the Free Church.
In the report of the Committee on Religion and Morals such matters as Sabbath observance, family worship, Romanism, temperance, gambling, pernicious literature, etc., were dealt with.
On Wednesday evening representatives from various Presbyterian Churches were received. These included among others, Dr J. R. Fleming, General Secretary of the Presbyterian Alliance and Principal Mackinnon, of the United Church of Canada. It does seem strange that a Church making the profession made by the Free Church should be represented in the Presbyterian Alliance in view of the undisguised Modernism that marred its proceedings at Cardiff. Reference was made to the fact that a Committee of the Alliance had been appointed to prepare a Common Statement of Faith, and that Dr Maclean was on this Committee. Prof. MacKay said he would be disappointed if those engaged in the preparation do not accept the Bible as its unqualified foundation. On our part we shall be greatly surprised, in view of the discussions leading up to the appointment of this Committee, if it does accept the Bible as the unqualified foundation of the Common Statement. Time will soon tell. Mr MacNeillage expressed regret that the Alliance admitted the United Church of Canada into its membership. But, strange to say, the Assembly was afterwards addressed by Principal Mackinnon, Halifax Theological College, which is now a seminary of the United Church. Prof. Moore thanked the delegates, including Principal Mackinnon, for the proof each had given that the Word of God is not bound, but that the truth as it is in Christ Jesus, is commensurate to the needs of all nations. We have not the slightest hesitation in saying from our knowledge of the doctrinal position of the United Church of Canada that the Word of God is bound in it, and we cannot understand how a Free Church Professor would use such words to a delegate from that Church.
The British Broadcasting Company had asked the appointment of a representative on their National Religious Advisory Committee. Mr Rounsfall Brown moved, and Rev. W. A. Fowler, Whiting Bay, seconded, that a representative be appointed. An amendment by Rev. S. Lindsay, Kirkealdy, that no representative be appointed was carried by a vote of 27 to 9. In view of the religious programme of the B.B.C., it is surprising that nine members voted for the appointment of a representative on the National Religious Advisory Committee.
On Friday evening a report was given in from the Church’s representatives on the Y.M.C.A. Council by the Rev. Mr Macleod, Greenock. The Assembly was addressed by Mr Lightbody, General Secretary of the Y.M.C.A., who offered an apology for the raid made upon the Free Church in the person of Dr John A. Mackay. Mr Macleod, in thanking Mr Lightbody for his address, said the Free Church had no grudge over the transfer of Dr John A. Mackay, for the latter was a worker for God. Messrs Macleod, O.B.E., and Miller were appointed to be representatives for 1926-27. If space permitted we should like to say something about some of the activities of the Y.M.C.A., both in this country and in America—activities of such a kind which no one who values scriptural worship can approve of or be associated with.