Islam and the Bible.—Since the war the circulation of the Bible in the Mohammedan world has increased in striking fashion. It is no longer thrown on to a bonfire, but is read by Mohammedans, many of whom know it thoroughly. These were points emphasised to the Egypt General Mission in Glasgow by the Rev. Dr. S. M. Zwemer, who is on a visit to Scotland in connection with the problems of the Moslem World, in illustrating a new responsiveness to the Christian teaching. The world was more responsive to the message of Christ than it had ever been, said Dr. Zwemer. British and American Bible societies could show that the circulation of the Bible had gone up in miraculous fashion in the Mohammedan world since the war. “I can remember the days in Arabia when they tore up the Gospels and took a joy in buying quantities of the Bible and making bonfires,” said Dr. Zwemer. “That day has passed. I have spoken to missionaries in Arabia, and it is seldom that a Bible is reported to have been torn.” They read the Bible and searched its pages, and many Mohammedans knew it thoroughly and could bring up more arguments on obscure points than the
missionaries ever dreamed of. It was a new day not only in their responsiveness, but in the eagerness of the Christian of the Orient to share with the missionary in preaching the Gospel. Dr. Zwemer declared that there were signs of a coming dawn in the world of Islam, and quoted a letter received by him from Sir Arnold Wilson, one of the outstanding administrators in Persia, who said—”Islam is dead in Turkey, is moribund in Persia, and is dying in Egypt, and even in Arabia we may yet see the principles of our common Christianity prevailing when the religion of Mohammed is forgotten.”
Miracles.—Sir Ambrose Fleming, the scientist, speaking on miracles and science at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, said that no ascertained facts in science forbade miracles. Objection was made to miracles that they were a violation of the law of nature, but why should there be any order in nature? Why should things work regularly?
The deepest philosophy believed that it was a manifestation of a supreme intelligence—in other words, of the will of God. If that were so, why deny to the Creator the power to vary that order.
To Test the Legality of Sabbath Trading in Scotland.—
A movement is on foot to test the legality of Sabbath trading in Scotland. At a meeting in Edinburgh on 21st May of business men and others interested in Sabbath observance, there was read an opinion from Sheriff Wark, K.C., dealing with the illegality of the opening of shops in Scotland on the Lord’s Day, and the proper way to secure the enforcement of the existing laws on the subject. On the motion of the Earl of Cassillis, who presided, seconded by the Rev. James Muir, the following resolution was adopted:—”That this meeting, having heard the opinion of senior counsel regarding the illegality of the opening of shops and other places of business on the Lord’s Day for the sale of merchandise, heartily endorses the proposals of the Lord’s Day Observance Association of Scotland that test cases should be laid before the Crown authorities for consideration; and is of opinion that the Shops (Sunday Trading Restriction) Bill, when
reintroduced to Parliament, should be extended to apply to Scotland.” It is believed that not only grocers’, confectioners’, fruiterers’, and tobacconists’ shops can be compulsorily closed on Sabbath, but also ice-cream shops.
Ignorance of Sir Walter Scott.—This was the heading of an article which appeared recently in one of our Scottish weeklies. The writer chiefly confines his attention to Sir Walter’s misrepresentation of the Gael. This was not the worst thing he did by way of misrepresentation. The picture he gives of the Covenants in his writings was one of the unworthiest things Scott did for his country. He has prejudiced the minds of thousands of readers of his works by the jaundiced and untrue view he gives of a band of noble men. In the year of the centenary of his death when so much of a laudatory nature is written about his genius, it is well to recall the tremendous onslaught Dr. MacCrie made on his gross and ignorant attacks on the Covenants. Scott himself felt the blow that laid any reputation he had as a historian in this matter in the dust. Of course, fiction is the last place where one would expect to find history, but, unfortunately, thousands of those who read Scott’s fiction take it for genuine history, but it should not be forgotten that he relied on his imagination for his facts.
Northern Presbytery’s Protest Against Sabbath Desecration.—The following resolution was passed by the Northern Presbytery in May at Inverness:—”The Presbytery view with alarm and grief of heart the increased disregard of the Lord’s Day shown, especially by Inverness Golf Club in taking a plebiscite with a view to having the course open on the Lord’s Day, and also by Inverness tennis players, who have been actually playing a week last Sabbath on the court at Bishop’s Road. Although they may have no religious convictions, it is heartless on their part to be violating those of their fellow-men.
The Court would anew deplore the railway excursions on the Lord’s Day, such as those to Invergordon to visit the Fleet, and the action of the Admiralty in having their ships open for inspection on that day.”
Thomas Boston of Ettrick.—Two hundred years ago, in May, there passed to his everlasting rest one who left a lasting impression on Scottish religious life. Thomas Boston is, or perhaps we should say, was, known as the author of that notable religious classic—”The Fourfold State”—a book which at one time was found in every Scottish home that made any pretence of serious thinking and which, if read to-day as it was in the past, would be a blessing for Scotland. Boston had no great place in the ecclesiastical courts of his time, but his name is enshrined in the memory of thousands of Scotland’s worthiest sons and daughters. His “Crook in the Lot” is another remarkable book which was reprinted some years ago. In his Memoirs we have the story of a man who passed through deep sorrows, who prayed with and fed his people as a faithful under-shepherd of the Lord Jesus Christ, and whose name occupies an honoured place among the greatest of Scotland’s religious teachers.
“Busk, busk, busk him as bonnilee as ye can.”—The Assembly of the Church of Scotland has made a number of momentous decisions at last Assembly which we do not deem to be conducive to the well-being of that Church or in keeping with her position as the Church of Scotland. The decision to have a Conference with the Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church has already caused serious questionings in the mind of many of the ministers and people of the Church. The spokesmen for this Forward Movement towards Canterbury which is bringing them a day’s march nearer Rome are masters in throwing dust in the eyes of the people. The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is needing another John Davidson who will arise and say to these temporisers as he did in the Assembly of 1598: “Ay, busk [dress], busk, busk him as bonnilee as ye can, and fetch him in as fairly as ye will, we see him weel eneuch [enough]; we see the horns of his mitre.” Another decision pointing in the same direction is the appointment of a kind of All Saints’ Day when the blessed dead are to be remembered. It is maintained that this decision has
nothing to do with prayers for the dead; we hope to have something to say on this in our next issue.
Government Cinema Bill.—While this note is being written the above Bill is passing through the Committee stage in Parliament and if the Government get their way it will soon be on the Statute book. The Bill does not open such a wide door as those which have already died unlamented but it comes from the same evil source.