Parliaments and Prayers.
Some time ago, says the “Bulwark,” a deputation from the combined Protestant Churches of New South Wales had waited on the Acting Premier to urge that Parliament should be opened with Prayer, and further that a Parliamentary Chaplain should be appointed. This is a move which will have the sympathy of all who desire to see peoples and parliaments as such acknowledging Him who is the Governor among the nations. The Imperial Parliament at Westminster is, as everybody knows, opened with prayer by its Chaplain. So also are the Parliaments of Northern Ireland, the Australian Commonwealth, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, New Zealand, and South Africa. But those of Canada, Victoria, and Tasmania are not. In 1862 prayers were said in the New South Wales Parliament, but the practice continued only a short period.
An Epoch-Making Event in the Moslem World.
One of the most extraordinary events of recent times has been the announcement that the National Assembly at Angora had voted the deposition of the Khalif and the abolition of the Khalifate. The Khalifs were the successors of Mohammed and spiritual heads of the Moslem world. Since the time the descendants of the Tartar chief, Othman, laid hold of the Khalifate, the proud title of the Commander of the Faithful belonged to the Sultan Khalifs in Constantinople. The Sultanate is gone, and now the Khalifate, at least so far as Turkey is concerned, is abolished. What effect this will have on the future prospects of Islam it is impossible to say. Already the Arab King Hussein, the father of King Faisal of Mesopotamia, has been proclaimed Khalif by a majority of the Arab Mohammedans of Mesopotamia, Transjordania, and the Hedjaz. The so-called holy places of Mecca and Medina are within the territories of King Hussein.
Easter.
Presbyterian Scotland has moved far since the contending of the Second Reformation, and among other things one sees an ever-increasing observance of the English Church festivals of Christmas and Easter. These had their place among the other church festivals which the Five Articles of Perth sought to impose upon our Covenanting forefathers, but they would have none of them. If Christians are zealously anxious to commemorate the resurrection of our Lord they have one day every week—the Lord’s Day—to do so. Besides, there is so much connected with the general observance of these festivals of a purely pagan character that must grieve all true Christians. We purpose to give an article in our May issue on Easter.
As It Should Be.
We are pleased to learn from the “Bible Call” that Pastor Frank D. Waite, Onslow Baptist Church, has written to the Secretary of the Baptist Union announcing his intention of separating from the Union on the appointment of Dr T. R. Glover to the position of President-elect. The step is taken in view of “the apostacy of to-day, in which the Bible is discredited and Christ dishonoured.” A few more such protests would be encouraging.