John Bunyan and Westminster Abbey.
Another memorial has been added to the National Collection in Westminster Abbey. This time it has not been one of a warrior, statesman, or prelate; but of a man who never rose above a humble station in life, and who suffered much persecution at the hands of the Ecclesiastical authorities. He was uneducated, and yet his works have called forth the admiration of the most distinguished scholars; a tinker by trade, and yet he surpassed theologians in knowledge; a Dissenter, and yet he has a place of honour in our great Cathedral; a despised prisoner, and yet he has become renowned throughout the world; a hunted preacher, scarcely allowed to address a few fellow-Christians in some lonely dale, and yet now he speaks to multitudes, not in the English language alone, but in the tongues of many nations. Surely God has done wonderful things through John Bunyan and the books that he wrote.—English Churchman.
United Free Church Figures.
In January issue of the Church Union Journal, Mr. Buyers Black, Glasgow, deals with the vital statistics of the Church in relation to the Union. In regard to the United Free Church figures, Mr. Black says:—These give cause for serious misgiving in several directions. There has been a persistent decline in baptisms each year since 1901 in every Presbytery of the Church of an alarming kind, because if it keeps on at the same steady rate of decline the position and influence of the Church in fifty years will be a negligible quantity. The total baptisms fell from 21,592 in 1901 to 17,335 in 1910, being a drop of 19.72 per cent. Notwithstanding an increase in membership from 495,200 in 1901 to 506,700 in 1910, the baptism rate per 1,007 members fell from 43.6 in 1901 to 34.1 in 1910. If the births in 1901 were to be taken as the normal number in the Church, the number of missing baptisms in ten years would be 16,824 after making the various allowances referred to. The missing baptisms in both Churches (Established and United Free) in ten years, taking 1901 as the normal, thus amounts to 26,316. But, if the increased membership be taken into account, this shortage would, of course, be greater still. In another ten years at the same rate the deaths will have overtaken the baptisms. The number of catechumens, unlike those of the Church of Scotland, follows the baptism rate with remarkable steadiness each year. The percentage of deaths to baptisms ranges from 40. in 1901 to 46.1 in 1910, and to catechumens from 42. in 1901 to 47.2 in 1910. This compares with 34.4 in 1901 in the Church of Scotland and 35.9 in 1910.
Bad Advice.
We are sorry to learn that Lord Roberts recently expressed himself that he was not opposed to rifle shooting on the Sabbath when it is impossible to find time for it during the week. This is carrying militarism too far, and coming from one occupying such a respected position as Lord Roberts, is a very serious matter. Our public men are evidently bent on shutting their eyes to the claims of the Lord’s day. Our protest may not reach their ears, but it is a duty to our Law-giver and to our country to protest against such a glaring and inexcusable infringement of the Lord’s day.
Samuel Rutherford among the Philistines.
The other month Prof. J. H. Millar, in giving his opening lecture as Lecturer of Scottish Literature at Glasgow University, made an outrageous attack upon Samuel Rutherford’s Letters. The lecturer did not hesitate to speak of what he termed the “odious ecstasies” and “erotic buffoonery” of the Letters. It may seem incredible that in this twentieth century, with all its boasted charity, one should hear, from a lecturer’s chair in a Scottish University, such an unjust and benighted charge. Fortunately it will take men of greater literary stature than Prof. Millar to change the verdict which Scotland has pronounced upon Rutherford’s classic. The high level of spirituality reached by him, no doubt accounts for the verdict which carnal men have not hesitated to pass on his writings. Rutherford’s name is honourably written in the pages of history, but it is not too much to say that those of his critics are written on sand.
“The Great Controversy.”
It would appear that agents of the International Tract Society are still canvassing for orders from house to house in some parts of the north of Scotland, for a book entitled “The Great Controversy.” We would take this opportunity of warning our readers against buying it. It is one of the publications of the Seventh Day Adventists, and among other erroneous views they hold are the continued obligation of the observance of the Jewish Sabbath, i.e., the seventh day of the week; conditional immortality, or the belief that man’s soul is not immortal but is only rendered so when he believes—consequently the wicked are annihilated; Christ did not, by the blood of His Cross, put away sin; the believer is not justified by faith—the rule of salvation is by keeping the law; the believer is not delivered from condemnation, but is subject to another “investigative judgment”; and so on. The wise will take heed and not receive such a book into their homes.
Playing into the Hand of the Enemy.
The Lord’s Day calls attention to a recent speech by the Bishop of Bristol made at a meeting for the purpose of advocating better observance of the Lord’s Day. The Bishop is one of those dangerous men whose charity is broad enough for the devil while they profess to be the servants of Christ. He unblushingly told his hearers that he had at times to use the railway on Sabbath to fulfil his appointments. It is men of this stamp that are doing untold injury to the cause of Sabbath observance. Unfortunately we have the same evil influence at work in Scotland, ministers making use of tram cars, and in some cases also the train.
Review of “Memorials of Caithness Ministers”—A Correction.
We regret that we noted in last issue as a mistake in this book that which was quite correct, namely, that the Rev. Mr. Stewart of Cromarty was called to be the successor of Dr. Candlish, as minister of Free St. George’s, Edinburgh.
The Persecuted Woman Fed.
A pious woman, in the days of persecution, was taken before an unjust judge for attending the worship of God. The judge, on seeing her, tauntingly said, “I have often wished to have you in my power, and now I shall send you to prison, and then how will you be fed?” She replied, “If it be my heavenly Father’s pleasure, I shall be fed from your table.” And that was literally the case; for the judge’s wife, being present, was greatly surprised with the good woman’s firmness, and took care to send her victuals from her table, so that she was comfortably supplied all the time she was in confinement; and the other found her reward, for the Lord was pleased to give her the blessings of His salvation.—Cheever’s Anecdotes.