Sermon by Rev. Thomas Halyburton.
In this issue we print the first part of a searching sermon by Rev. Thomas Halyburton. The responsibility of ministers in considering the seriousness of accepting a call has often been presented, but Halyburton in this sermon points out that the congregation calling a minister have also a very serious responsibility laid on them. The sermon referred to above is usually printed as an introductory to his notable work, “The Great Concern of Salvation.” His death-bed sayings are remarkable for their seraphic intensity and heavenly warmth. These sayings are recorded in his Memoirs, a book that is worth reading and pondering over. From 1700 to 1710 he was minister of Ceres, and thereafter for two years he was Professor of Divinity in St Andrews. Enoch-like, he walked with God, and entered his everlasting rest in 1712, in the 38th year of his age and the 12th of his ministry.
Conversions to Rome.
The Protestant Press Bureau gives the following figures showing the conversions to the Church of Rome in England and Wales:—(1916), 8501; (1917), 9018; (1918), 9402; (1919), 10,592; (1920), 12,621; (1921), 11,621. It will be seen from the above figures that there has been a steady increase. There can be little doubt that the Ritualistic, Romanising party in the Church of England is to a large extent responsible for this increase.
Stern Opposition to Teaching Evolution in Schools.
For some time a stern fight has been going on in some parts of America against teaching evolution in the State schools. The opposition is led by Mr W. J. Bryan, who, a number of years ago, was a candidate for the Presidency. Some months ago a Bill was introduced into the Kentucky Legislature forbidding the teaching of evolution in the State schools, and the anti-evolutionist cause was lost by only one vote. Now the battle is on in the State of Minnesota, and from a questionnaire issued to Ministers by the “Literary Digest,” the following results have been obtained:—For teaching evolution, 115; against, 77. The vote by denominations is thus tabulated—Against—Lutheran, 62; Evangelical, 13; Methodist, 8; Baptist, 7; Congregational, 4; Disciples, 3; Seventh Day Adventist, 3; Episcopal, 1; Miscellaneous, 7. For—Methodist, 17; Congregationalist, 17; Episcopal, 9; Presbyterian, 8; Lutheran, 6; Disciples, 5; Baptist, 3; Unitarian, 3; Universalist, 2; Friends, 1; Miscellaneous, 7. Our sympathies are with those who are thus fighting for Bible truth against science falsely so-called. There is something to be said for the attitude of one of the combatants who scorns to trace his ancestry to “frogs in dirty pools.” Most of us will be willing to leave the claims of such noble ancestry to the so-called intellectuals, who, as blind leaders of the blind, are leading their followers into the ditch, where, according to their own theory, their ignoble ancestry sported in the primæval waters.