“The Claims of the Church of Scotland,” by Prof. G. D. Henderson, Aberdeen.
WE have read through this book, and fail to see what are the “Claims” of this church, of which the writer is an honoured member. If the “Claims” were “the Praise of the Church of Scotland” that I think would suit better the object the Professor had before his mind while writing his book. We heard good reports of the book before we read it, and on that account were anxious to read it. However, after we read it with care and without prejudice, we were entirely disappointed with the book. One thing, the Professor refers to so many authors, ancient and modern, if he were to read them all, or examine them with care and understanding, he would need to live another seventy years beyond the allotted span of ordinary human beings! We remember meeting a student who was very severe and critical on Calvin’s Institutes. We asked him, “have you read the Institutes?” “No,” he said, “but I heard other people discussing his works.” That is it, “I heard other people saying it.” It is to be feared that many modern authors have the unfortunate habit of criticising the works of other men, and excellent divines on the same assumption, “I heard other people saying it.” On page 118 the Professor says, “The Church of Scotland is once again in a very real sense the National Church. According to Kenneth Grubb’s latest statistics
it has 1,256,167 adult members or communicants out of a population of all ages amounting to 6,000,000.” This is an error, and let us hope if another edition is produced that this exaggeration is duly corrected. The population of Scotland of all ages is 5,174,500! The Professor and Kenneth Grubb should pay attention to strict accuracy in quoting figures. The Professor seems quite happy with the modern trend of events. He says, “That, even the Presbyterians are not one in Scotland is a real scandal, and the reminder that these churches are so very small cannot suffice to make us comfortable.” We shall deal with the “real scandal” later on. The professor glosses over the declensions that took place from 1863 to the present day as if nothing happened to interfere with the unity and harmony of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland! The Historian should state all the facts, and never attempt to hide the real issues with a cloud of words, which can only deceive the simple and deepen the ignorance of the ignorant. The “Claims” of the present Church of Scotland must begin with the Union of 1929. She is not and dare not “Claim” to be the Reformed Church of Scotland of Knox, Henderson, and Chalmers. She is in all reality a schismatic Church. “The real scandal” rests with her because she departed from the original foundation upon which the Reformed Church of Scotland was laid—the Bible—Confession of Faith, and the Subordinate Standards. She holds the Bible in her hand, but invites Karl Barth and Dean Inge to interpret the revelation of God to man so that she can meet modern “thought” however contrary to God’s Word, the “thought,” words, and actions of her ministers and members may be. “How is it then, brethren, when ye come together, every one of you has a Psalm, has a doctrine, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” I. Cor. xiv. 26. The Professor considers it a “scandal” that we are not all (Presbyterians) with Rev. Dr. George MacLeod on “Christmas Eve” at the Community Dance,” or “Nativity Play,” and members of the “World Council of Churches.” At least some of the ministers of the Church of Scotland of 1929 refer to the Priests of the Church of Rome as their “Brethren.” We have no hesitation in saying that John Knox, if alive today, would not be asked to preach in St. Giles, and supposing he did enter the pulpit of that Church, his first blast would be to clear out all the rubbish of the Romish brand that is now in that church, and Dr. Warr would be told where his “mellow” religion came from, the crosses, and the ritualism of Satan that is in evidence at “Christmas Eve,” “Lent,” and “Easter.” Knox would tell Warr and his modern colleagues that their ritualism was from Rome. Either Dr. Warr or Knox would have to quit St. Giles! The people would say “we prefer to have our present Pastor, to that ‘wild’ man, John Knox!”
Who is foolish enough to doubt but that would be the decision of the poor people that are so long nurtured on the chaff of the Modernists. Samuel Rutherford would be kept “prisoner” in Aberdeen, as the worshippers could not understand the language of the Minister of Anwoth! Robert Bruce would not allow their church members to sit at the Lord’s Table till they were “born again.” It is questionable would Alexander Peden allow any of their ministers enter a pulpit in Scotland. Thomas Boston would not be allowed to preach in the pulpits of the Church of
Scotland of 1929, as Boston believed in an eternal hell, as positively as he believed in an eternal heaven. We can rest assured that Karl Barth and Dean Inge would be welcome, and praised as great scholars and very able divines! What a day on Scotland! “How is the gold become dim? How is the most fine gold changed, the stones of the sanctuary are poured out on the top of every street.” Lam. iv. 1. We were wondering for years how was it that people of the Church of Scotland whom we came in contact with were so ignorant of the Reformers of Scotland, the great divines of the past as if they never lived. In recent times that riddle is plain enough to us now. Any one who will search diligently will find that the Reformers are so belittled, and made so insignificant in comparison to the mighty Scholars—learned divines of the present day that Calvin, Knox, Owen, Edwards, Boston, etc.,… disappear out of sight. The same is true about the men who wrote the Books of the Bible. They were rustic fellows that knew next to nothing of the great learning, supreme knowledge, and boundless self-confidence and self-importance of those who try to expound the Word of God to the people to-day. The effect of this is the obvious ignorance of the people of the Bible, the Reformers, and the divines of the past. Their minds are corrupted against the Bible and the Reformers, so that impudent Roman Catholic Writers can pour out their lies in the press, and no one is able to contradict, or rather, try to contradict their falsehood. Ah! Ministers of the Church of Scotland of 1929, you must all stand before the Throne of the Eternal and render your solemn account of how you have led men and women, boys and girls astray from the Word of God, and the blessed doctrines preached by the Reformers and the blessed divines of the past in our beloved Scotland!
It is cruel, wicked, “the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.” Lam. iv. 3. To say to unconverted souls that they are “the children of God, by birth and privileges, and that they need not any change but to go on as they are” is extremely callous; yea, it is monstrous. The wretched lying Priests send their miserable people to a place they call purgatory, but the ministers send their people to heaven without the blood, sacrifice, Mediator, righteousness, or peace of conscience, not knowing the terror of the Lord against sin that in its guilt has never been removed!
Let us imagine a soul fully believing (natural faith) that he was going to heaven at death because of his own goodness and opening his eyes in a lost eternity, and still remembering that the minister never told, or warned him of a lost eternity! The same wicked minister following the mortal remains to the grave, and there lying in the presence of all the living, that the departed friend was in heaven, with the saints of God and His holy angels—and thanking God for the blessing of having such a mother, son, wife, daughter, husband, or friend, and the soul of that departed mortal in the blackness of darkness for ever! Wicked Prophets, graceless ministers, and lying Priests will be more like the devil than any other, for their criminal conduct in this world was to deceive poor deluded sinners! This is the Church that “claims to be the only church, and that all the other Presbyterian Churches should be with them, and because they are not, it is a “scandal.” Our people would like to know what is meant by “Nativity Play,” and “Christmas Eve” services as held in
the Church of Scotland? I will endeavour to give you a description of this infamous blasphemy that is carried on in many of the Congregations of the Church of Scotland in the towns of Scotland to-day.
“The Christmas Eve” service is held at midnight on the 24th of December. Christ was supposed to have been born on the 25th of December. There is not the slightest authority to believe that it was on the 25th of December the Saviour was born. This was a date fixed by the Church of Rome. The authorities of the Church of Rome admit that they have no authority from Scripture, or history, to fix on the 25th of December as the date of Christ’s birth. The Scottish Reformers banished it out of Scotland. During the régime of Cromwell the Parliament of England banished it as well. When Charles the Second came to the Throne, he restored the Roman Festivals, and among them the Christmas Festival. It is, therefore, on the authority of King Charles that the English hold the Festival of Christmas to this day. It was in recent years that any Protestant Church in Scotland (with the exception of Episcopalians) began to observe Christmas.
The “Nativity Play!” What is it? The minister of the congregation, along with his Office-bearers, give due intimation to the people that they have arranged to have a “Nativity Play” in the Congregation the Sabbath before the 25th of December, or on a week night if that may be more convenient to the Minister and people. Within the Church a place is prepared that might resemble in some crude way where the Saviour was born. There is a crib or cradle, fixed in a corner of the Church, straw is placed in the crib, the child is supposed to be in the crib. In fact, in one instance I read of (in recent times) a young woman with her living baby were present, the baby in the crib, and the mother sitting solemnly beside the crib. As the actors were performing their blasphemy the “wise men from the east” appeared, to present their gifts to the child. They were dressed in Oriental fashion—long loose garments, a hood covering the head, a long crook in hand, with gifts and presents to give the child. The audience were well pleased with the actors that carried on what they call the “Nativity Play.” Now that is Christmas, and that is the “Nativity Play,” as actually practised in the Church of Scotland to-day. And mind you, Professor Henderson says that it is a “scandal” that we were not all together, and that not one should be left in Scotland to protest and witness against the wicked prophets of Baal. See how the crafty hypocrites carry on the work of the devil in our Scottish Towns, and if this were done in Harris, North Uist, Lewis, Skye, Gairloch, etc., no doubt the people would rise in their wrath against them and expel the prophets of Baal out of their coasts.
The discipline of the Word of God is clean gone out of the Church of Scotland. The only unity that exists among them is the name of “The Church of Scotland.” The ordinances of the Lord are given at random, without the least respect to the life, walk and conversation, knowledge, profession, faith, and practice of the individual. If he wants to sit at the Lord’s Table, he is welcome, supposing he only attends once in the year at church. He may go away from the Lord’s Table, buy the newspaper, and spend the rest of the day reading it or listening to the wireless. That is not the concern of the minister, elder, or Session. The church
member must have his liberty, and the minister will preach to him doctrines to suit his conscience and conduct, however inconsistent that may be to the Word of God. The Word of God is not binding on the conduct of the minister, member, court, or church. The Professor says that it is a “scandal” that we are not with them. No doubt the prophets of Baal considered it a “scandal” that Elijah was not in their camp to serve their Baal! God be thanked “that He has left His seven thousand” in Britain yet that will not bend the knee to the modern Baal of Modernism.
We wish it were otherwise with the Church of Scotland, and that we could recommend Professor Henderson’s book to the public. Impossible! Their judgment is prejudiced against the truth, the Reformed Faith of the Church of God. They try to blot out of the minds of the youth the precious attainments of the Reformation—”forget it.” That is what is going on in Russia—blot out religion from the hearts of the young, and in the course of a few years it will be forgotten. We deplore the divisions, parties, sects, and all that, but truth is of more value than any outward unity we might attain to. In the Roman Catholic Church they have scores and scores of divisions—”Black, Grey, White, Blue, Yellow?”—among their Monkish Orders—all operating against each other. Nuns…how many different Orders? It is not likely that the Pope himself knows. In the Church of England of to-day they are divided, sub-divided, and the subs divided into other subs, so that that Christian Church is divided into fragments within her own borders. Any divisions in the Church of Scotland? Yes, thousands of divisions as each can do what they like. One minister can preach one kind of doctrine, one Elder can believe what he likes, another can do what he likes, and so on—endless divisions in that Church. Now, Professor Henderson, we cannot join your synagogue as you are too near the temple of Rome.
In the language of the Holy Spirit through the prophet Hosea this is the present Church of Scotland of 1929, “Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight and her adulteries from between her breasts; Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms……” and so on to the end of verse 13. How dreadful her condition, how fearful her nakedness, and what terrible judgments that must overwhelm her before she will be again purified in the furnace of affliction! Free Presbyterians keep away from the Church of Scotland, for she is a backsliding Church.—James MacLeod, Greenock.
Notes and Comments.
Christian Youth Assembly and Communist Peace Festival.
Twelve hundred young people gathered in Edinburgh, at a Christian Youth Assembly, on Sabbath, the 17th February, 1952, caused an uproar when their Chairman, Mr. J. R. Paterson, divinity student, declared a motion carried by 173 votes to 131, to send delegates to the British Youth Peace Festival at Sheffield, sponsored by the Young Communist League.
Apparently most of the youths present were not entitled to vote, being only “observers.” The mover of the resolution was Mr. George Mochrie, St. Nicholas Church, Sighthill, Edinburgh. The Christian Youth Assembly represents more than 4000 young Scottish Churchgoers. It appears to us that this organisation does not officially recognise the terrible fact that Communism goes hand-in-hand with Atheism. We are suspicious (we put it no stronger than that for lack of information) that this supposed Christian Youth Assembly is being used to further Communistic propaganda within the bounds of the professed Christian Church. True Christianity and the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ are what Communism aims to undermine and destroy; and there are traitors within the camp. But Christ’s blessed name shall endure forever.
Death Comes while viewing Royal Funeral.
Mr. William Caudle (71) and his wife (70) of Barnes, Surrey, died together while watching the late King’s funeral procession on a friend’s television wireless set. Mr. Caudle fell to the floor. His wife bent over him and she too collapsed. And within minutes they had died. How solemn! Many who attend or witness the funerals of others, day by day, throughout the land, never for a moment think that the messenger of death may be at their side to usher them, in the twinkling of an eye, into the great eternity. Even those who truly fear the Lord have to smite upon their own breasts frequently, for the earthly mindedness and lack of spirituality they discover within themselves when confronted with the death and burial of their fellow men. “Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel,” are words of faithful warning from the Holy Scriptures. “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
Roman Catholic Bishop attacks B.B.C. gloom.
The Right Rev. Heenan, R.C. Bishop of Leeds, at a memorial service to the late King, is reported to have said that the British Broadcasting Corporation had wrapped the nation in organised gloom for more than a week and Roman Catholics hold that mourning does not mean misery. The death of a constitutional monarch need not paralyse the legitimate relaxation of the whole nation for so long. The Bishop also referred to old and sick persons depending on radio for relief. These observations are, in our view hypocritical in the extreme. What about the gloom of monastic and convent life; the gloom of hours of chanting in Latin in connection with varied R.C. services; the gloom cast upon the minds of bereaved Roman Catholics by reason of the teaching that all go to purgatory when they die, for not even the best Christian by R.C. doctrine goes straight to heaven; the gloom of uncertainty in the minds of R.C.’s regarding their own salvation and of those who have died in the R.C. faith; and the gloom of masses and prayers for the dead. Surely in time of national mourning it was well that sober action was taken by the B.B.C. to eliminate light and frivolous entertainment, that this Protestant nation should with a biblical and Christian respect, show sympathy with our sorrowing Royal Family? The R.C. Bishop of Leeds didn’t like the world-wide sympathy and regard for merely a temporal King. That should be reserved for none but the Pope. And, of course, the world-wide and national respect was manifested towards a Protestant Monarch.
King of the Belgians and late King George’s Funeral.
King Baudouin’s decision not to attend the late King George’s funeral in London, brought defeat to Belgium’s all-Catholic Government on a vote of censure, although the Government did not resign. It was described by a former Prime Minister, M. Camille Huysmans, as a “grave error.” We have not space here to enter upon details, but it seems to us that the present R.C. Government and Romanist Royal Family of Belgium have failed to hide their prejudice against Protestant Britain. The arguments employed in support of this young King’s action were clearly exposed as invalid.