The Prospective Union.
The adjourned meetings of the General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church were held at Edinburgh on 21st November. In the Church of Scotland Assembly the motion for the rejection of the scheme received only 7 votes. Two of the dissentients afterwards lodged a dissent, which was signed by Rev. Dr A. Gordon Mitchell, Killearn, and Rev. E. E. Williamson, Shurrery, Caithness. In the United Free Assembly the opposition was led by the Rev. James Barr, Socialist M.P. for Motherwell. His amendment was seconded by Mr A. Forrester-Paton, Alloa. On a show of hands 39 voted for the amendment. We have no sympathy with the reasons advanced by the out-and-out voluntary dissentients for refusing to enter the Union, but we must admit that they have consistency and force of argument on their side. The erstwhile hot Voluntaries who, under Principal Rainy, were out to smash the Church of Scotland cut rather a sorry figure as the once fierce Voluntary lion goes timely to the matrimonial altar with the Established lamb.
West Highland Transport Scheme and the Sabbath.
When the Western Highlands and Islands (Transport Services) Bill was under discussion in Parliament Mr Mackenzie Livingstone moved an amendment to the effect that the services by sea, air, or land which the Bill provided for should not be carried out on the Sabbath.
In this he was seconded by Mr Ian Macpherson. Sir John Gilmour, replying, made reference to the resolution passed by the Commission of the Free Church General Assembly, and said that such a provision as was indicated by the amendment was not in accordance with precedent in laying down an absolute restriction of Sabbath services. He did not doubt but that the new company would respect the religious feelings of the people as did the old. The Rev. James Barr had fair words about the duty of conserving the Sabbath rest, mingled with words which were neither wise nor witty, but opposed the amendment. When Mr Mackenzie Livingstone pressed for a division the Socialist member for Motherwell laid aside his good manners and charged him with doing this for political purposes, and characterised it as “the meanest thing he had ever known.” There were days in Scotland when better things would have been expected from a minister. The amendment was rejected by 26 votes to 2.
“The Thoughts of God.”
The well-known scientist, Prof. J. A. Fleming, the inventor of the thermionic valve, in a paper read to the Victoria Institute, had a few interesting things to say, from which it is evident that he is out of sympathy with so many of his unbelieving fellow-scientists. “At every stage of the investigation into atomic architecture,” said Prof. Fleming, “one was as clearly met with evidence of purpose and design as one was in the case of the most complicated chronometer or wireless receiver. One could not invoke, as an explanation of their origin, any process, such as a struggle for existence, as there were no intermediate types. The 88 kinds of atoms known were separate or distinct. They were like coins struck in a mint, and each bore the impress of the image of their maker in the attributes they possessed. Matter was in a state of flux, and it had become increasingly clear that matter could be converted into Radiation. The sun wasted away at the rate of 250 million tons a minute to supply the heat and light it sent out, but no one need be afraid that it would not last out our time since its mass was about 2000 billion billion tons. Matter in the form of chemical atoms consisted of localised energy, and matter and radiation were interconvertible terms because they were essentially of the same nature. Without energy there would be no events or phenomena in the external world. The nearest approach one could make to an interpretation of it was that it was the result of the ever acting will of a Divine Mind present at all times and in all places. What we called the laws of Nature were, as Oersted had said, only the Thoughts of God.”