“Death Cannot Sever.”
—We have had something to say on this book in our last and present issue. In an editorial note in Life and Work (the organ of the Church of Scotland) we have the following: “This is the title of a new book by Dr. Norman Maclean, one of our most distinguished ministers, whose devotion to the truth, and to the Church of Jesus Christ as the only hope for the world, is beyond question. The work has caused widespread interest and not a little uninformed criticism, which is to be deprecated. There are few more competent to deal with the views expressed in the book than Professor W. P. Paterson, and he has kindly agreed to write an article for Life and Work on the subject. It will appear in the January issue.” We wonder if the Editor has read the book.
Expense of Roman Catholic Schools in Scotland.
—Recently, in answer to a question put in Parliament, Sir G. Collins, Secretary for Scotland, gave some interesting information. The total expenditure by Scottish education authorities, he said, to the end of the financial year 1930-1 on the purchase of Voluntary Schools of all types transferred in pursuance of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1918, was approximately £771,000. Nearly all this sum was in respect of Roman Catholic schools, but without a special inquiry he was unable to state the precise amount, or how much had been paid by way of rent for schools not purchased outright. The cost of providing new Roman Catholic buildings and additional accommodation at existing Roman Catholic schools was estimated at £1,335,000. The corresponding figure for schools other than Roman Catholic was £6,354,000.
Jehovah’s Witnesses.
—This is one of the names of the Russellites, the wandering stars of the religious world. The number of aliases under which the advocates of this insidious and dangerous teaching labours is one of the marvels of modern religious history. The various designations are cunningly chosen to impress the unwary but for sheer impudence surely “Jehovah’s Witnesses” crowns them all. They are becoming bolder as time goes on. To begin with their literature was hawked through the country by so-called poor students who were in need of funds to study. Now they are appearing in the correspondence columns of the northern press. The northern representative of Russellism made a poor show but he was helped by more subtle penmen from the south and over the Border. They were ably exposed by correspondents in the “Northern Chronicle” (Inverness) who showed that they knew what they were writing about. Much is made of the year 1914 in the Russellite programme but as one has truly said it looks like that that year will be remembered as one on which Satan paid a special visit to this poor world of ours. One of the correspondents aptly quoted and applied to these so-called “Witnesses of Jehovah” the words of the Apostle to the Corinthians—”Such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ (II. Cor. xi. 13).
Second Volume of Rev. Lachlan MacKenzie’s Works.
—This volume which contains original matter not hitherto published is still available and may be secured from “The Courier” Office, Inverness, or from Mr. Grant, 4 Millburn Road, Inverness, price four shillings post paid.
As there are still some who have not been able to secure a copy of the first volume on account of the demand exceeding the supply the publisher is offering to any one who has a copy of the first volume and who returns it post paid a copy of the second volume in exchange. If any of our readers wishes a copy of this new book in exchange for the first volume they should immediately take advantage of this offer.