Is Sabbath Labour necessary in War Time?—The following interesting extract from Sidney’s Life of Rowland Hill (sent by a friend in Canada), bears a very powerful testimony in favour of Sabbath observance in War time:—”There was, however, one individual in particular, for whom he cherished the sincerest affection and regard. This was the excellent Sir Charles Middleton, afterwards well known as Lord Barham, whose management of the navy when First Lord of the Admiralty, in times of unequalled difficulty, will ever be mentioned to his honour in the pages of British history. His wise and prompt services were commended in the highest terms by Lord Nelson; and the navy of England reached the acme of immortal fame, when a man, ridiculed as a ‘saint’ and a ‘methodist,’ presided over its affairs. Let this for ever silence those who assert that religion incapacitates for the uses of this life. But another point deserves to be mentioned. Lord Barham permitted no Sunday labour in the dockyards; yet he managed to comply with the urgent and rapid demands of the hero of the deep, whose circumstances and uncommon movements required no ordinary energy in the supply of his resources. Neither nations nor individuals will ever lose by the entire dedication of that sacred day to the worship of a God who prospers those who serve Him, and obey His commandments.”—Sidney’s Life of Rowland Hill, second edition, page 112.
A Roman Catholic Paper and the League of Nations.—The well-known Roman Catholic weekly paper, called The Universe, in its issue of 2nd May, remarks that the Pope and all his children cannot but rejoice to see his counsels carried out in the formation of a League of Nations. What duplicity is in this statement! Were not the so-called Holy Father and his devotees the principal agents in upholding the strife during the War, and strengthening the hands of the enemies of the Allies? Great regret is expressed that “the Papacy is markedly absent from the list of the Powers” who are invited to join the League. The Universe characterises this as the amazing short-sightedness of the Governments, and concludes with the remark, quoted from some other source, “The world will yet want the Pope.” So much the worse for “the world,” we say. We trust that, while it is sadly true that the world, left to itself, will want nothing better than the Pope to rule over it, the day may dawn, by the blessing of God, when the world will “want the Pope,” in order to destroy his power for ever.
The Roman Catholic Secretary of the League of Nations.—It is deplorable to learn that the first Secretary-General of the League is a British Papist, who became a pervert to Rome in 1903. His name is Sir James Eric Drummond, K.C.M.G., son of the 10th Viscount Strathallan. His wife is a sister of the Duchess of Norfolk. Sir Eric has been long in the Diplomatic Service and at the Foreign Office. The Universe says that “his zeal in the national interests has not been incompatible with equal zeal in Catholic interests.” It is to be feared that our national interests have suffered, as they are still suffering, by the influence of diplomatic Papists high in place. The members of the League have made a serious concession to the proud demands of the unscrupulous “Man of Sin” in making one of his prominent followers their Secretary-General.
The Prince of Wales a Freemason.—The Papists are very much disappointed at the Prince’s initiation into the Freemasons’ society, for it is a “secret” organisation that is condemned by the Pope. Its rules, by their very nature, exclude Roman Catholics. Whatever Freemasonry may be or not, this is a point in its favour, and the fact that the heir to the Throne belongs to the order will lessen to some extent the anxiety of Protestants as to the future career of the Prince.