The Peruvian Atrocities.—For some unaccountable reason it would appear that the great rubber plantations alike in Africa and South America have been the scene of savage barbarities. Sir Rodger Casement, in his report recently issued, tells an almost incredible story. The report fills many harrowing pages. All of it is sad reading; some of it would be almost too atrocious for belief if the evidence on which it is given were not irresistibly strong. Flogging, murder, starvation, the grossest forms of immorality—these are the commonplaces of the brutal story, and it shames us to know that what has been brought to light “was being done,” as Sir Rodger Casement says, “under British auspices—that is to say, through an enterprise with headquarters in London, and employing both British capital and British labour.” A terrible commentary on the methods of exploitation employed—not, we are glad to say, by men of British name and blood, but by Peruvian or half-caste natives acting for employers who must have been ignorant of the atrocities perpetrated—is that whereas the Putumayo district contained in 1906 a population of 50,000 natives, in 1911 the number had been reduced to not more than 8,000.
The Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey, acted with commendable promptness in bringing the matter before the attention of the Peruvian Government. The action of that Government is not all that could be desired, but it is to be hoped that no rest will be given until the existence of such a cruel state of things be rendered impossible.
Pilgrimage to Lourdes from Glasgow.—During last month a great number of Roman Catholic pilgrims left Glasgow for Lourdes. We take the following paragraph from a Glasgow paper:—“It is about half a century since Lourdes became a Mecca. Annual pilgrimages are made in France, but those are regarded as not without political significance. The present trip has of course no political colour. It is chiefly devotional in its purpose, and during the visit the party will share in the ceremonials of the Church. Only incidentally is it a pilgrimage of healing. It includes about one hundred invalids, who will test the efficacy of the “cure.” While the element of faith enters largely into the “cure,” medical science is not excluded from the operations. It is claimed that cures at least bordering on the miraculous have been made at Lourdes, and the afflicted who have accompanied former Scottish pilgrimages have, it is said, found relief from minor complaints.”
The Church of Rome makes a point of encouraging such delusions, and it is not to the credit of our boasted civilisation in Scotland that there should be so many men and women ready to journey such distances for cures that at best are imaginary.
A Correction.—In July Magazine, page 109, line 24, the name “Kiltarlity” should have read “Urray.”
Church Notes.
Communions.—Dingwall, first Sabbath of August; Portree, second; Bonar (Creich), third; Stornoway, fourth. Vatten (Skye), and Ullapool, first Sabbath of September; Strathy (Sutherland), second; Stoer, third.
Call to Kames.—At a meeting of the Northern Presbytery, held at the Inverness Church on Tuesday, 16th July, the Rev. Ewen Macqueen, Dornoch, accepted a Call to the congregation at Kames, Kyles of Bute. The induction is expected to take place (D.V.) on Thursday, 22nd August.
Acknowledgments.—Mr. Angus Clunas, General Treasurer, 35 Ardconnel Terrace, Inverness, begs to acknowledge, with thanks, the following donations:—For Sustentation Fund—£10 from Mr. and Miss Parker, Aberdeen; £10 4/ (50 dollars) from Lochalsh Congregation, Ontario, Canada, per Mr. A. R. Finlayson; 10/ from Mrs. Maciver, Nairn, per Mr. F. Maciver; 5/ from “Anon” (Inverness P.O.). For Foreign Missions—10/ from Mrs. Maciver, Nairn, per Mr. F. Maciver; 3/ from “Friend,” St. Andrews, per Rev. N. Cameron. For College Fund—4/ from “Friend,” St. Andrews, per Rev. N. Cameron. For Missionaries’ and Catechists’ Collection—7/ from Mr. James Fraser, Carnoch, Strontian, per Rev. J. S. Sinclair. Mr. Norman Mackinnon, Treasurer for Tarbert (Harris) Church and Manse Building Fund, acknowledges with thanks the following donations, per Rev. D. N. Macleod:—10 dollars from “Well-wisher of Cause of Christ,” Ontario; 10/ from “Friend,” Wick; and 10/ from “J. and S. A. U.,” Invergordon. Rev. A. Macrae, Portree, acknowledges with thanks, for Portree Manse Debt:—13/ from “Friends,” per Mrs. Clarkson, Gillibrand River, Victoria; and 4 dollars from “Friends” in Kelso, Sask., per Mr. A. Beaton. The Treasurer of the Dingwall Congregation acknowledges with thanks the following donations, per Rev. D. Macfarlane, for the Manse Building Fund:—5/ from “A Friend,” Edinburgh; 3/ from “C. M. L.,” North Uist; and per Treasurer, 2/6 from “Well-wisher,” post mark, Inverness. Rev. J. S. Sinclair, Glasgow, acknowledges with thanks, £1 from “Salutaris,” for John Knox’s Sustentation Fund.