“The Fundamentals.”—The fifth issue of this series, to which attention has already been directed in these pages, is just to hand. In the foreword the publishers say:—”The favour with which The Fundamentals has been received all over the world is a great gratification to those who are engaged in the work; and the opposition, bordering sometimes on bitterness, which it has provoked, has been also very gratifying. The favour is from those who believe in the fundamentals of Christianity; and the opposition is, in the main, from the religious people who have really ceased to be Christian in their faith, while, for some reason, they desire to retain the label of Christianity. The fact that they have been reached and led to think is cause for thanksgiving.” These booklets are now issued free to 275,000 pastors, evangelists, missionaries, theological professors, theological students, Y.M.C.A. secretaries, Y.W.C.A. secretaries, Sabbath school superintendents, religious editors, and Roman Catholic priests in the English-speaking world.
Lord Lyttelton’s “Conversion and Apostleship of Paul.”—The present issue of The Fundamentals gives an analysis and summary of Lord Lyttelton’s famous book on the above subject. The origin of this masterly treatise is itself an evidence of the truth of Christianity. Lord Lyttelton and his friend West were infidels and regarded the Bible as an imposture. They both agreed to enlighten mankind on the subject—Lyttelton taking the Conversion of Paul, and West the Resurrection, as the most vulnerable subjects for their assault. Both sat down to their respective tasks with the full intention of giving such an exposure to Christianity that no intelligent or reasonable man could be expected to have anything more to do with it. But the word of God proved to them, as it has done to so many, quick and powerful, and a discerning of the thoughts and intents of the heart. They rose from their study of the Bible firmly convinced that Christianity was not a cunningly devised fable, and through their studies two of the ablest treatises on Christian evidences came from their pens—the Observations on the Conversion of St. Paul by Lord Lyttelton, and Observations on the Resurrection of Christ by West.
Training of the Territorials on the Lord’s Day.—Owing to the falling off in the numbers of the Territorial force in the County of London, the Daily Telegraph recently suggested that the War Office should allow training camps for the week-end (Sabbath, of course included), and also training in musketry practise on the Lord’s Day. Fortunately the War Office is met with some difficulties in the employment of Regular Army Officers and men on the Sabbath, and at present the matter stands there. It is to be hoped there will be no yielding on the part of the War Office Authorities and that the Territorials may find sufficient time for training on the other days of the week. Patriotism is highly commendable, but its association with religion and its recognition of the laws of the King of Heaven add to its virtue and nobility.
Higher Criticism in the Foreign Mission Field.—The information constantly coming to hand (says the Bible League in their Annual Report recently issued) as to the effect of this baneful teaching on missionary work is of a truly appalling character, and the Council feel that the time has come when an earnest effort must be made to warn the Church of Christ as to the seriousness of the outlook. The special issues of the Quarterly Paper dealing with the subject have been widely circulated, and, we believe, have been used of the Lord in arousing many to the gravity of the position. Subtle forces are at work undermining the consecrated efforts of many servants of the Lord Jesus who have sacrificed all things in obedience to the command, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” How grave the condition of things is, only those know who have been able to look beneath the surface.