Dickens’ Life of Christ.—At the evening session on Tuesday when the report of the Welfare of Youth and Publications Committee was presented reference was made by the Rev. Peter Miller, Partick, to Charles Dickens’ Life of Christ recently published. Mr. Miller while commending the book for some of its
qualities and its literary excellence pointed out that “there are amazing inaccuracies in simple matters of fact, and statements are made which tend to slur over and deny doctrines like the Virgin birth and supreme Deity of Christ. All mention of Christ’s dying as a sacrifice for sin is deliberately avoided and an opposite ‘gospel’ of works is insidiously taught. The offence of the cross is all too evident in the tone of this work, and that makes this much lauded guide thoroughly unsafe for present day teachers and children.”
Sustentation Fund Report.—On Wednesday the report of the Sustentation Fund Committee was submitted by Mr. George H. Macdonald, Dingwall, vice-convenor. He said 1933 had been a year of much anxiety to the Committee. 1930 was the peak year in contributions to the Sustentation Fund; since then there had been a decrease—the decrease for 1933 was £508. Expenditure showed a tendency to increase. Stipends paid to ministers in 1933 exceeded those of 1932 by £606. The Committee in view of the financial situation recommended that the equal dividend would be reduced from £250 to £245. This was agreed to after some discussion.
Romanism.—The report of the Committee on Public Questions was submitted by the Rev. John Macleod, Glasgow. Reference was made to Scotland’s churchless million and to the growth of Romanism in Scotland. There were three aspects of this question, said Mr. Macleod, which had prominently been brought before the country during the past few months—(1) the Education Act of 1918, (2) the Ne Temere Decree, (3) and naval honours to the Pope and his representatives. Mr. Macleod said in regard to the 1918 Education Act, he believed they were too late in making their protests. All that they had been saying of late ought to have been said in 1918.
Sabbath Observance.—The Rev. Kenneth MacRae, Stornoway, moved an addendum to the report that the committee be instructed to prepare a memorandum to be circulated among Scottish M.P.s
and the Government Officials concerned calling upon the Government to initiate legislation whereby the Sabbath law of the country would be made operative throughout Scotland, and whereby existing statutes protecting the Lord’s Day would be made applicable to modern conditions, so that such illegalities as excursions by land or sea, sports, flying, trading, and working on the Sabbath day would no longer be allowed to flout the law of the land. Mr. MacRae moved a further addendum which called for the remitting to the committee the preparation of a protest against the recent amendment of the King’s Regulations by which naval salutes are accorded to the Pope and his representatives. The report and deliverance of the committee, together with the addenda, were unanimously adopted.
Church Finance.—Mr. D. M. Smith in submitting the report of the Finance Committee called attention to the diminution of interest on investments. Congregational givings had shown a decrease of £121 as compared with last year while contributions to Foreign Missions were down by £175.
Foreign Missions.—The Rev. Dr. A. Stewart submitted this report to the Assembly and summarised the Church’s activities in various parts of the mission field. He made reference to the question of the relation of missionaries in the foreign field to the home presbyteries by which they were ordained. This is a question with which we ourselves are confronted and as it has been remitted to the Foreign Missions Committee of our Church to report on the matter to next Synod we refrain from making any comment on the discussions that took place and the finding come to in the Free Church Assembly. The subject of Foreign Missions was not finished on Thursday and so it was continued on Friday when a number of missionaries and others spoke.
Co-operation with other Churches.—The effort to bring the Reformed Presbyterians, Original Seceders and ourselves within the Free Church fold having collapsed the idea of co-operation was fallen back on. The Committee dealing with Co-operation
of other Churches had prepared a draft scheme which aimed at creating a Federal Council of members of the co-operating Churches. Some thought the basis was too narrow and that they should attempt to draw into it men of other Churches who were as loyally attached to the Reformed doctrines as they were. “The Free Church representatives, however,” Dr. Maclean said, “were committed to the terms of the remit.” The conferring Churches, instead of accepting a scheme for a Federal Council, had come to a unanimous finding. They might well ask, after four years, he said, What was the advantage of this scheme of co-operation? There was much advantage every way, but chiefly in the following directions: (1) The proposal provided in a practical form the idea of federal relationship among Reformed Churches, with the same or similar confessions, such as was popular again on the Continent of Europe; (2) it illustrated the possibility of federating Presbyterian Churches in common effort without impinging on individual independence or curtailing individual testimony, as all organic unions did, and consequently failed to unite, but multiplied division; (3) it afforded opportunity for a united pronouncement on matters affecting our Reformed Faith and national interests; and (4) it provided—what was very important—a forum for quickening interest in our Reformed doctrine such as was taking place at the present moment in Europe and throughout the other parts of the world, to which Reformed doctrine Scotland owed all its abiding spiritual achievement. There was, he said, practical accomplishment in this federating scheme. He did not think they would find anything else that had brought the Churches concerned more closely together than the united resolution recorded in the Report. Referring to the value of the definite Confession of Faith which was held by the Reformed Churches, he declared that if Scotland was to be delivered from its present condition of indifference to religion, if it was to be delivered from the influences of unbelief in every sphere of life, in his judgment it could only be done by a return
to the definite teachings of the Reformed system. Professor Cameron seconded. The Rev. Kenneth Macrae, Stornoway, moved an Amendment to the effect that the Assembly “continue the remit to the Committee as limited by the finding of last Assembly.” He did so, he said, (1) on the ground of expense. It would be unwise to increase the expenditure involved in the work of a Standing Committee at a time when they were seeking to reduce expenses of administration. (2) Because of lack of scope for such a Committee. What was meant by the co-operation intended? He maintained that the creation of a Federal Council raised a real issue which was not intended by the finding of last Assembly, and that the effect of such a step would be to endanger the peace of the Church. (3) Because it created unnecessary machinery, encroaching on the sphere of the Claim of Right Committee and taking from that Committee work which properly belonged to it. (4) Because the Church with which they were mainly associated in this proposal appeared to be rent in two, one party making no secret of its hope that it might return to the Church of Scotland. The time, he concluded, was not ripe for the setting up of a Federal Council.
Rev. Angus Mackinnon, Aultbea, seconded this Amendment, and Rev. W. Fraser, Govan, supported it on the ground that there was a party in the Original Secession Church whose sympathies appeared to be more with the Church of Scotland than with the Free Church. After discussion the Committee’s proposals were accepted. The party in the O. S. Church who have their eyes turned to the Church of Scotland make no hiding where their heart lies and it seems strange to us that so much should be made of this scheme of co-operation with this disintegrating element at work in one of the co-operating Churches.
The best saints in this world are like the tribe of Manassah—half on this side Jordan and half on that.—Thomas Brooks.
Pride is the very image of the devil.—Thomas Boston.