AT the beginning of a new volume, it may be useful to give a brief review of the leading events that have transpired during our literary year just closed, and to make any appropriate remarks that may suggest themselves in connection therewith.
The first outstanding event we observe was the King’s illness in immediate view of the Coronation ceremony that was to have taken place on June 24th of last year. The announcement of the affliction, coming as it did with startling suddenness at the time when the national interest in the prospective Coronation was at its highest pitch, was like a powerful thunderbolt from the skies, and made a deep impression upon all ranks and classes throughout the empire. There seemed to be in many quarters a momentary recognition, at least, of the fact that there was a greater King in Britain than King Edward, and one before whose presence and authority monarch and subjects were bound to bow in absolute submission. The voice of the King Eternal was heard and His hand was felt. The true children of God, while they engaged in fervent prayer for the restoration of His Majesty to health, rejoiced also at the judgment of God. They were glad that the Lord cast a subduing influence over society and its carnal excitements, and then, when the King was graciously restored and duly crowned on August 8th, the Coronation was conducted at Westminster and celebrated throughout the country in a more grave and sober fashion than would otherwise have been.
The Houses of Parliament have been busy throughout the year with a new Education Bill for England and Wales, which has now become law. The passing of this Bill has been matter of great regret to sound Protestants. It gives such power to the clergy of the Church of England in connection with religious instruction that Protestants, who know that the great majority of the clergy referred to are of the High Church Romanising party, tremble for the spiritual interests of the young. Besides, the Bill is so framed
that all ratepayers are practically compelled to acknowledge the new order of things, and to support it out of their pockets. This has stirred up a spirit of resistance on the part of not a few, who declare that they cannot conscientiously pay the school rates, and who will refuse to do so when the time comes. This passive resistance movement is being supported by several of the leading Nonconformist ministers, and may lead to incidents in the future of a rather sensational and unexpected kind. It is good there is still some dread of Romanism in the land, even when it is to be found alongside mistaken ideas on other matters.
Another event of outstanding and sorrowful interest to lovers of the truth of God was the sad death of Mr. John Kensit, the brave Protestant witness. This painful event took place in the Liverpool Royal Infirmary on October 8th, as the result of a deed of violence perpetrated by a malicious persecutor about a fortnight before. A young man named M’Keevor was charged with the crime, but the charge was declared by the majority of the jury not guilty so far as he was concerned. Truly the times are getting very dark when the spirit of violent persecution is manifesting itself in a manner so bold and unabashed in a free and Protestant country and that against those who are standing up in honest zeal for the very principles on which the national constitution is founded, and with which the national prosperity has been so intimately and vitally associated. In this connection the imprisonment of Mr. Kensit, jun., shortly before his father’s death is to be noted. He was imprisoned for the simple reason that he held public meetings in the Protestant cause, and refused to discontinue these meetings (for a year) at the request of a stipendiary magistrate. Mr. Kensit had the right of free speech, to say the least of it, in a free country, but was thus unrighteously deprived of it. Nowadays it is the right of Romish rowdyism to daringly interrupt Protestant meetings that must be upheld in Protestant England. We observe that the other day Mr. George Wise, one of the Wycliffe preachers in connection with the Kensit crusade, chose to go to prison rather than submit to conditions of silence similar to those imposed in young Mr. Kensit’s case. We do earnestly trust that these stirring events will have an awakening effect on the inhabitants of country, and lead them to discern and resist the fearful evils of Romanism that are coming in like a flood. Mr. Kensit, jun., lectured in Glasgow in January, and his addresses produced a most favourable impression upon his hearers. Their spiritual tone and professed earnestness were much admired. May the Lord give much of His grace and presence to this able young witness for His cause and truth!
An important event to be noted with pleasure is the recent introduction to Parliament of the Church Discipline Bill. This Bill is designed to check the lawlessness that prevails so widely in the Church of England. The Bishops have shown themselves so utterly faithless in the matter of insisting upon the observance of
the Church’s laws in worship that Parliament is called upon to take the matter in hand. The Bill passed the second reading by a fair majority, but whether it will ever become law is another question. The opposition is so strong on the Government side that it is to be feared that the Bill will be soon extinguished. A false toleration of Ritualism and Popery has taken a powerful hold of our legislators.
A very agreeable feature of the past year was the publication of several excellent books in which the evils of Romanism are exposed. Two of these are by men who are themselves Roman Catholics, Messrs F. Hugh O’Donnell and Michael Macarthy, and are named respectively “The Ruin of Education in Ireland” and “Priests and People in Ireland.” These books prove to the very hilt that the priests have been the ruin of Ireland educationally and otherwise, and solidly confirm the testimonies of Protestants on the subject. A third book of pre-eminent value has also recently appeared. “The Roman Catholic Church in Italy,” by the Rev. Alexander Robertson, D.D., Venice. We have read this book with the very deepest interest, and have been more profoundly thrilled by it than by any other work of the kind since we read Chiniguy’s “Fifty Years in the Church of Rome.” We purpose, if well, giving a very full review of it with quotations in a future issue, and would strongly urge every person who possibly can to secure a copy of it. If the people of this country would read this excellent book, and would only exercise their ordinary common sense in doing so, they would rise up as one man against the inroads of Popery and shake the whole fabric of the Church of Rome to the foundation, not only in our own country, but throughout the world. Let not the ear of Great Britain be deaf to the voice of Protestant Italy at this critical time. If it is so, and continues so, no clearer proof will ever have been given to the whole earth of deliberate suicidal wickedness under the influence of “strong delusion.” Italy proves an object lesson to Britain, written deep and large over the whole length and breadth of her domain of the inconceivable misery that Popery brings in its train, and of the inexpressible advantage of being delivered from its grinding tyranny. Italy warns England in a voice of thunder off the soul-destroying rocks of Romanism. Dr. Robertson in this book is the well-adapted medium of the voice. May the Lord speak with effectual power, and Great Britain may yet be saved from the dreadful dangers that are looming ahead! How appropriate are these books at the present time, when the orders of monks and Jesuits that France is casting out are pouring across into this country! Surely our legislators are amazingly benighted by the devil when they can look on the present progress of Romanism with undisturbed complacency. There is a rude awakening yet in store for them unless they speedily come to their senses.
The progress of the Higher Criticism is also a great menace to the spiritual welfare of the nation, a menace to which we would do
well to take heed. For if the Bible as the Word of God is taken from us, what have we to rest upon in view of eternity. Blessed be God, He has promised that His Word shall endure for ever, so we need not fear what man can do. Nevertheless we cannot but lament the boundless evil this Retinalism will effect in the destroying of men’s souls for eternity. Any sound testimony in opposition to it is valuable; and Dr. Kerr’s pamphlet on the “Disastrous Results of the Higher Criticism” is one of the most effective arrows that has yet been shot against it.
So much for some of the outstanding events and movements in the country during the year.
A word as to events in connection with our own Church in particular. The mission to Canada was a very pleasing incident. We believe that the visit of our deputies last year to that interesting colony was attended with good and abiding results. The people there, who desire to maintain the truth in purity, have been united more closely to our Church at home, and the outcome will be mutual helpfulness. At home, whatever grounds of encouragement there may be here and there in respect of the work of the Church, we have very specially to mourn over the removal by death of several worthy laymen and steadfast witnesses for truth. Most of them, no doubt, had reached the allotted span of life; some of them had passed greatly beyond it; but, notwithstanding, their departure has left a very painful void in the parishes and districts where they lived and laboured. There was no doubt great reason of thankfulness to the Lord that several of them were spared so long as instruments of usefulness among their fellows: but what lends an added sadness to the death of Christ’s witnesses at the present time is the fact that few are rising to fill their places. The Lord is evidently very angry with us as a generation on account of despised privileges, and if He does not speedily raise up a seed to do Him service, the spiritual desolation will become exceedingly great, and judgment will overspread the land. What need there is that importunate prayer would ascend to the almighty covenant-keeping God of Israel that He would have mercy upon us as a nation, recall our bondage as streams of water in the south, and raise up trees of righteousness, His own planting, that He may be glorified!
The signs of the times are dark and foreboding; the aged saints are passing away; our only encouragement is, but it is also our best encouragement, that the Lord liveth and reigneth, and may even yet disappoint the fears of His own people and turn the shadow of death unto the morning.
Induction at Dingwall.—The induction of the Rev. Mr. MacFarlane, will (D.V.) take place at Dingwall on Friday, 8th May. Rev. J. R. Mackay, M.A., Inverness, will preach and preside.