Is it true?—The Rev. Andrew Gih, a Chinese evangelist before leaving Winnipeg for China passed a severe sentence on the Churches of the Western World. He travelled thousands of miles preaching in Britain, Scandinavia, the United States, and Canada. He reported sadly that he finds the Church in the Western world with few exceptions to be a place of entertainment rather than of worship. We have no knowledge of Mr. Gih or what he preaches but we certainly are in hearty concurrence with him when he says that the Churches of the Western world, with exceptions, of course, are places of entertainment rather than of worship. And sad to say the plague is spreading.
Rebuke to Princess Juliana of Holland and Her Consort for Sabbath Breaking.—“Heartily the Dutch people send their prayers to the Lord for the health of the body and soul of the royal couple,” writes Rotterdammer. “But one cannot conceal our sadness about their desecration of the Sabbath. We have to remind even princes and royalty of the law of the Lord. If the royal couple go on travelling and visiting places of amusement on ‘Sundays’ they may lose the love of many true Orangeists. Moreover, they will break down a mighty tradition of the Dutch Royal Family that has given in this respect an example to their subjects.” When will the day come when the press of Scotland will administer rebuke for Sabbath-breaking? The Daily Express could not allow the above to pass unnoticed without its usual sneer.
Spread of Sabbath Desecration.—At one time Sabbath desecrators on their onslaught on the Sabbath covered their attacks by pleading necessity and mercy but these pleas are now laid aside and a wide-spread and ruthless campaign is menacing the very existence of the day of rest. The working man’s day of freedom is gradually being fleeced from him and if the working men of this country would only rise as one man against the ever-widening and aggressive movement they could defy commercialism to steal from them the day that the Lord gave man for rest. Favourite resorts are being invaded by hundreds and thousands of trippers who are tempted by cheap fares to wander from their homes on the Sabbath. Games on the Sabbath are becoming so common that by and by they will be the order of the day. Even in the army, which was never noted as a great observer of the Lord’s Day has taken a forward step in the wrong direction by allowing games on the Sabbath.
Rank Arminianism.—In a recently published book on missionary work in South Africa there occur the following words in connection with the reception of a native woman into communion with the Church: “Her answer to our usual question at examination—’How do you know that Jesus is your Saviour?'”—was unusually clear—’Christ died for all, so for me.'” We sincerely trust that this woman’s hope rested on a surer foundation than is expressed in these words. For, if one thing is clearer than another in Scripture it is that Christ did not die for all. He died for all that were given Him by the Father. It is to be feared that we have not the abhorrence of Arminianism our fathers had. They denounced it unsparingly but it has now permeated religious teaching so thoroughly and so many other attacks are being made on the faith that we are spending our strength in combating these while the old enemy is allowed to get off almost without a blow and consequently has become very aggressive and active in its operations.
Psalm-Singing Presbyterian Churches in U.S.A.—Dr. Coleman of the Reformed Presbyterian (Covenanter) Church in the U.S.A. in a letter to the editor of Our Banner (Australia) gives some interesting information as to Psalm-singing in divine worship in the Presbyterian Churches of the U.S.A. with the exception of the Presbyterian Church in U.S. (Southern Presbyterian). The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in U.S.A. (Northern Presbyterian) the largest Presbyterian Church in America uses instrumental and hymns universally, with very few Psalms. Fifty years ago the Presbyterian Hymnal had in it thirteen Psalms—the last one examined by Dr. Coleman had only three. The United Presbyterian Church with a membership of 180,000, introduced instrumental music in 1882 and authorised the use of fifty hymns about 1932. Prior to this the Church had adopted a rather free version of the Psalms. In 1907 the conservative leader in the U.P. Church organised two Psalmody Conventions and published the papers in a book with the title The Psalms in Worship which is decidedly the best book on the subject of the exclusive use of the Psalms in divine praise. The book was reviewed in the Magazine at the date of its publication. The Reformed Presbyterian Church (New School) has authorised the use of instrumental music and hymns. The Covenanters or Reformed Presbyterian Church (Old School) holds to the exclusive use of the Psalms without the aid of instrumental music as does the Associate Presbyterian Church.
Britain’s Enormous Drink Bill.—Figures just to hand showing the consumption of intoxicants during 1936 create the unwelcome impression that as the nation becomes more prosperous it also becomes less sober. In the past year drunkenness increased by 7 per cent. in comparison with 1935, and by more than 50 per cent. as compared with 1932. Since 1933 the national expenditure on intoxicants has increased by £22,000,000, reaching a total last year of £246,255,000. In calculating these figures compiled by the United Kingdom Alliance, Mr. R. Wilson Black points out the further significant fact that the consumption of wine and spirits in 1936 rose by 6 per cent., against a $2\frac{1}{4}$ per cent. rise in the sale of beer, and draws the conclusion that with increased prosperity beer-drinkers tend to transfer their expenditure to the more potent liquors, “and it follows from this that the brewers’ campaign to secure fresh beer-drinkers ultimately leads to a larger number of consumers of wines and spirits.”—The Christian.
The Old Testament Scriptures.—The Higher Critics after breaking down the carved work of the Old Testament Scriptures are engaged on the useless task of trying to discover what helpful use can be made of the fragments left from their hammers. This is seen in an article in the May Expository Times by Dr. Garvie on “The Value of the Old Testament for the Christian Church.” From one’s knowledge of Dr. Garvie’s theological position one need not expect much that will be helpful and the following in his article need not surprise us. “The Old Testament has been in the history of the Christian Church,” he says, “not only a valuable possession, but also a formidable danger. Christian theology and ethics have been brought to a lower level by our indiscriminate blending of the Old and the New Covenant.” Yet these are the Scriptures out of which the Risen Saviour taught the Two on their way to Emmaus making their hearts burn within them while He talked to them by the way and while He opened to them the Scriptures (Luke, xxiv. 32; see also verses 44-50). These modern prophets of Baal may cry loud and long but no fire will come from heaven to make the hearts of their followers burn within them.