WITH this issue we begin a new volume of the Magazine. It is now almost a year since, through the lamented death of the Editor, who watched over and guided the policy of the Magazine from its beginning, that the editorial work was thrown unexpectedly and suddenly on our hands. The main lines with which the readers of the Magazine have become familiar have not been departed from. We are conscious that many readers would prefer to be presented each month with new material for the whole issue; others, again, like to read the heavenly wisdom found in the writings of those who are now at their eternal rest, and their wishes are reasonable, and have been respected. Apart from the extracts from the writings and sermons of the servants of God in the past, a series of articles will, in the future, be more particularly devoted to presenting to our readers the choice utterances and writings of men whom God honoured with His favour and blessing, and upon whom He bestowed special gifts for the edification of the Church.
As we begin our new editorial year matters at home and abroad are not of the rosiest hue. Ireland, that land of seemingly endless strife, is still in a deplorable condition. The skilfully engineered press campaign of shouting peace and drowning the voice of wisdom has only made those who shouted the loudest to appear the most foolish now. Unfortunately, the lawless elements, both North and South, are taking full advantage of the present disorganisation, and human life is held at a discount.
The South African crisis, which was much more serious than was at first known in this country, was handled by General Smuts with his customary skill, delivering in quick succession, and with skilful precision, one smashing blow after another, until the rebel Bolshevik resistance was broken.
India is still in a very troubled state, and it is with concern that we see a section of the British press advocating the right and liberty of the King-Emperor’s Moslem subjects to suggest and even dictate the policy to be pursued by the British Cabinet in
dealing with the Turks. That policy may be right or it may be wrong, and many hold it to be wrong on quite other grounds than that of the religious scruples of the Mohammedans. But if the imperial policy of Britain is to be shaped by Moslem sentiment, then there is the acknowledgment of a principle powerful enough and insidious enough that may work for the dismemberment of the Empire. We must never forget, while full liberty is given to all religious views and creeds in the King’s dominions, it is quite another matter when Moslem opinion and prejudices are recognised as having a right to shape the policy of the Empire. We profess to be a Christian nation, and if we ignore the claims of God’s Son and give them no higher place, or not even so high a place, as those of the False Prophet, then we have betrayed our trust, and the significance of the words:—”Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little,” has been lost to us.
The state of matters at home is not encouraging at present. The artificial prosperity created by an abnormal condition of things arising from the War, with its attendant recklessness of expenditure and extravagance, has been followed by unemployment which has brought much suffering in its train. The daring scheme of designing men to wreck the country was happily frustrated, and the extremists have not been so vocable of late as they were in the past. Still, the Bolshevik propaganda in this country is yet at work, and its ceaseless activities may bear evil fruit one day. It is a system that is from beneath, and is out to fight against the laws of God and man. We refer to the foregoing matters not so much from the standpoint of their significance in the world of politics as from the fact that we discern in them principles that are antagonistic to our common Christianity and in opposition to the kingdom of God’s dear Son.
As far as true religion is concerned, there is also a noticeable move towards a worse condition of things. The loudly-proclaimed renovation that was to take place after the terrible baptism of suffering through which the nation passed has not materialised. The rededication movement, of which so much was heard of for a season, came to nothing. Great expectations were awakened through reports of a great revival in the fishing ports on the Eastern seaboard of Scotland. No one can deny that there were great earnestness and fervour shown in this movement, but there were and are elements in it, such as the excessive singing of hymns with jingling tunes, women preachers, and questionable, if not erroneous, doctrine which must be emphatically condemned. Salvation Army and Plymouth Brethren influences were too prominent in the movement in many places to be agreeable to those who are strongly opposed to the methods and tenets of these parties. Again, the practice of calling upon young lads, inexperienced and ignorant of the very letter of the Word, is a practice which, in many cases, we have no hesitation in saying ought to be discouraged. While we say this, we take the liberty of appropriating Dr. Kennedy’s words in speaking of the Moody and Sankey movement:—”I carefully refrain from forming an
estimate of the results of this work, as these are to be found in individual cases. I confine myself to the general character of the movement, in so far as that is determined by the more prominent teaching under which it has advanced, and in connection with its bearing on the religious condition of the country. I most persistently continue to hope that good has been done; for even were I persuaded that Satan was busy in forging counterfeits, I cannot conceive what would induce him to do so, unless he was provoked by a genuine work of grace which he was anxious to discredit and to mar. . . . There are two reasons why I cannot regard the present religious movement hopefully—(1) Because the doctrine which is the means of impression seems to me to be ‘another gospel,’ though a mighty influence. Hyper-Evangelism, I call it, because of the loud professions of evangelism made by those who preach it; and because it is just an extreme application of some truths, to the neglect of others which are equally important parts of the great system of evangelic doctrine. (2) Because unscriptural practices are resorted to in order to advance the movement.”
That there is need for a heaven-sent revival is abundantly evident, and in God’s appointed time it will come.
Our readers may feel that the writer, in penning the foregoing, has a very cheerless outlook, and that his remarks are fitted to produce a depressing rather than uplifting effect. Be that as it may, the Christian of all others is the only person who, in many respects, can look on the future as bright with hope and promise. Those who are united to Christ may have their troubles and tribulations here, but they have the assurance of Him who cannot lie, through His servant, that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” The heart may shake in the face of adversity, and a trembling hand may reluctantly take the cup filled to the brim with the wine of astonishment, but the future is bright with a hope that no cloud can dim and no adversity destroy. And as truly as there is a bright future promised to the Christian, so, too, the Word of God is full of exceeding great and precious promises for the future of His cause. Brighter days are yet to dawn, and whatever darkness there may be between us and the dawning, it is something to have our hope directed to the stars of promise that shine so brightly in the firmament of His Word, though they may at times seem to be so remote. The saints of the Old Testament looked forward to the dawning of the day when the true Light should shine upon a people in the land and shadow of death, and the New Testament Church has an outlook no less cheering. The day has not yet dawned, but it is coming, when all Israel shall be saved, and this mighty miracle of grace will be like life to the Gentile nations. In that day, with a fuller and deeper note of joy, the ransomed of the Lord shall sing:—
When Sion by the mighty Lord
Built up again shall be,
In glory then and majesty
To men appear shall He.