The Extinction of the Star in the East Order.
Some of our readers may have heard of Krishnamurti, the much boomed protege of Mrs Besant, the theosophist. His works have been circulated by the thousand and free copies sent to the public libraries. This dreamer of mystic dreams, whose teaching is couched in beautiful, if somewhat elusive, language, announced recently at a great meeting held at Ommen, in Holland, that the “Order of the Star in the East” was to be dissolved. Religions, philosophies and spiritual organisations created barriers to the understanding of the truth. The above order, he said, had been preparing for him for 18 years, yet its members were not willing to face the truth, so the organisation must go. This is fairly hard on those who have been duped by his teaching, and it may surprise some of our readers to know that this organisation was working in the Highlands and had penetrated as far north as Dornoch, where a meeting was held last year. Our prayer is that all such organisations may have a like inglorious end.
Bible Teaching to Children.
Dr G. A. Cooke, Regius Professor of Hebrew, as reported in the “Daily Telegraph” (London) in a lecture to the members of the Oxford University Extension Summer School, said that children should never be taught anything they would have to unlearn. Then he went on to say “the Song of Solomon was purely a secular work, and possibly a series of little plays intended to be performed at weddings.” If this is the kind of teaching the Regius Professor is giving to the candidates for the ministry of the Church of England no wonder Modernism is making headway in that Church. And if this is the kind of teaching he gives to the instructors of children we sincerely hope, for the children’s sake, the sooner they will unlearn it the better.
Roman Catholic Church.
During the past month great demonstrations have been held at various centres by Roman Catholics in commemoration of the centenary of the Emancipation Act of 1829. There can be little doubt that the Church of Rome has made extraordinary strides in our country since that date. Recently it was made known by one of their organisations that they had a hand in revising the new Encyclopædia Britannica, and while these claims were exaggerated, the very fact that the editorial management was approached shows how bold Rome is becoming. The press recently contained an inspired news item warning Roman Catholics to keep aloof from non-Roman Catholic denominations in the movement towards the promotion of world peace. “The Church by mixing with such bodies,” continues the Note, stated to be inspired by the Vatican, “would set a bad example by joining dissenters.”
The Troubles in Palestine.
The outbreak in Palestine caused serious concern. The massacre of Jews by the Arabs was on such a large scale that our Government, with commendable celerity, called out the military and naval forces to quell the insurgents. A Commission of enquiry has been appointed to inquire into the cause of the riots, and a promise has been given that the guilty will be summarily dealt with. An assurance has also been given by the Government that the Balfour Declaration will not be departed from. We are pleased to say that from latest information our missionary, Rev. Donald Urquhart, is quite well.
Sabbath Cheap Trips.
The Railway Companies, according to a “Railway Correspondent” to one of the Scottish dailies, are in trouble over their cheap Sabbath excursion tickets. It appears that quite an extensive business, according to this correspondent, is being done by certain clever rascals who are buying up unused return-half tickets and selling them at a good profit. The companies, it is said, take so serious a view of the question that in one or two cases Sabbath trips have actually been suspended (“Daily Record,” 28th August). The ways of the devil are hard to be understood at times, but those who barefacedly robbed God of His day for gain need not be surprised if the same evil Prompter should seek to rob them of their ill-gotten gains.