A Word to Rev. Dr Fraser, ex-Moderator of the United Free Church.—In a speech delivered in the United Free Church Assembly, Dr Donald Fraser made reference to the religious divisions in the Highlands, and from these he argued that the reputation of the Highland people for piety was built on their past attainments. He lamented the numerous church buildings one sees in passing through the glens. Well, no one will deny that the piety of the Highlanders is not what it once was, but who is responsible for the many church buildings in the Highlands? There is one man, and one man almost solely, upon whose head this charge rests above all others, and that is the late idolised leader of the pre-Union Free Church, Principal Rainy, the great church-wrecker of the Highlands, and he was enthusiastically followed by the great majority of the Free Church. He it was who split the Church in the Highlands into fragments. This is a plain statement of historical fact, and it is well the blame should be laid at the right door, and not attributed to the people of the Highlands. When the catastrophe of 1904 came there was none so active as the veteran leader and his henchmen, excitedly running to and fro (though not increasing knowledge), holding meetings in the Highlands, and in eloquent speeches calling upon the people to remain true to them, and they would see to it that manses and churches would be built. Dr Fraser, away in the depths of Africa, we will charitably suppose, may not have known this, but when he blames the Highland people for having so many divisions, he should be fair to them. Like so many who have become obsessed with the Union idea, he says that the scattered fragments should be re-united. We make a suggestion to the ex-Moderator of the United Free Church Assembly, that the United Free Church clear out of the Highlands,
and ask their people to join, say, the Presbyterian Church, where they will get purer and sounder doctrine than they usually get. This would mean one less denomination in the Highlands, and by falling in with our suggestion, Dr Fraser would show that he had the interests of Union in deed and not in words only, notwithstanding its seeming impracticability to the average ecclesiastic. We make this suggestion as a counter-move to the proposition so persistently stated in these times that the smaller fragments should unite with the larger, founded on the principle that the lamb should lie down with the lion, but, which in its practical application, as the cynic remarked, always ends with the lamb inside the lion. Whatever polite name may be given to this process of absorption, it certainly is not and does not deserve the name of Union.
Scotland’s Heroes.—Such is the heading of a short paragraph in one of our weekly papers. It describes a service held in Greyfriars’ Church-Yard, Edinburgh, on a recent Sabbath, which had as its double aim the commemorating of the “Wanderers on the Hills” (the Covenanter), and the men who died in the War. The Covenanter Memorial service was followed by a memorial service to those who perished in the war. It commenced with the playing of “The Land o’ the Leal” by the Postal Pipe Band. After the benediction was pronounced, the wife of the Lord Provost of Edinburgh unveiled a memorial wreath, and “Lochaber No More” was played while the wreath was placed on the Martyrs’ Tomb. The Last Post was then sounded, and the pipe band played the lament, which concluded the service. Greyfriars’ Church-Yard saw other days, and we have no hesitation in saying that the martyred dead, if they could speak, would have scorned the lip tribute paid to their memory by many who were out of all sympathy with their religious contending.
The Bo’ness Vote.—It is gratifying to record that the electors of Bo’ness voted against accepting Sir Robert Calder’s gift of a public park to which the condition was attached that games would be permitted in it on the Sabbath. Sir Robert is a Roman Catholic, and it was expected that there would be a strong rally of that faith, but only 139 voted for Sabbath games, and 960 against them. This is so far satisfactory, but only about a fourth of the voters went to the poll on this important question, which is not so satisfactory.
Kill-Joys.—Some of our readers are probably aware that this is a favourite word in the vocabulary of anti-
Sabbatarians. Satan has put it into the heads of these foolish people that by the skilful use of what they evidently esteem to be a solemn anathema they will make lovers of the sanctity of the Lord’s Day tremble. Sabbatarians, we sincerely trust, are made of sterner material, and will have no compunctions of conscience in killing joys that are contrary to God’s commandments. From a number of cuttings sent us by a friend (whose name and address we would be pleased to receive), it seems the Glasgow “Daily Record” has been specially enlisted in the devil’s plan of campaign. One regrets to see a Scottish daily so barefacedly and incessantly advocating a “Continental Sunday” for a country that once held God’s Day in high esteem.
Sovereign Grace Union Publications.—The Union has recently issued “Salvation Secured: being Two short Chapters on Redemption by Christ and Union with Christ,” by the late Rev. James Ormiston, Bristol (price 3d). These are excellent papers, and are written with the loyalty to God’s truth and fine Christian experience which were characteristics of this honoured servant of Christ. The Union’s official quarterly organ—”Peace and Truth,” edited by W. Sinden—contains interesting matter and useful information not found in other religious magazines. Mr Ormiston’s pamphlet and the quarterly (price 2d) may be had from the Hon. Secretaries: Rev. Henry Atherton or Mr E. J. Peacock, 98 Camberwell Grove, London.