The Late Rev. D. Macfarlane’s “Memoir.”
The sale of this book has exceeded all our expectations and, if we might be permitted to suggest to those who have not yet obtained copies they should procure copies at an early opportunity. As our stock was almost exhausted we learned that our printers had not dispersed all the type, so we asked them to set up what had been taken down and print another impression for us. Only a portion of this impression will be bound meantime, and where the copies issued to ministers and missionaries have been bought up an application may be made either to Mr Grant or the Editor, who will supply copies (Price 3s 6d; Postage 4d). We have had numerous letters from outsiders saying that, owing to the clear and simple way Mr Macfarlane states the Free Presbyterian case, they have a much better idea of the position taken up by our Church after reading the book. The book will be found very useful to the young people of our Church who wish to have a simple statement of the contending of the Free Presbyterian Church since 1893.
Betting and Gambling.
At a meeting held in the hall of Barony Church, Glasgow, the Rev. Frederick E. Watson, honorary secretary of the Scottish National League Against Betting and Gambling, made reference to the enormous sums spent on strong drink and gambling in Great Britain. Mr Watson said he felt there was a tremendous amount of humbug and hypocrisy talked by politicians and others in face of the unemployment question when it was remembered that as a nation we wasted something like £300,000,000 on alcohol and sterilised the sum of £400,000,000 annually on gambling. One of the most ominous signs of the times was the alarming growth of gambling among women.
Mr Brider’s Annual Report.
We have received the report for the year 1929. Mr Brider is still able to carry on his good work in distributing sound literature to our Sailors and Soldiers. He regrets to record the death of generous supporters, and if the good work is to be carried on others will have to step into the breach. 2000 parcels of literature have been sent to various naval ports and military stations at home and abroad. The report contains letters of warm appreciation from men in different parts of the world who received books, etc., through Mr Brider’s distributing agency. As some of our readers may know Mr Brider is doing this work as a labour of love, he has no private means, neither does he take anything out of the Mission Funds; he is dependent upon the Lord for personal support. We commend this good work to our readers who can help either by sending monetary gifts or books to Mr Brider, 21 Firfield Street, Totterdown, Bristol.
A Good Bill (?)
The “Daily Express” (Scottish Edition) thus describes the Bill before Parliament which lays down the law that in future no criminal proceedings shall be taken against disseminators of blasphemy, heresy, or atheism. The “Express,” since it invaded Scotland, has done its best to help the Devil in his work to break down all respect for the Sabbath as at one time observed in Scotland, and now it sees in the above Bill something worthy of commendation. It pleads for liberty to the individual; it is a strong prohibitionist against prohibition. If this is the kind of message the “Daily Express” is bringing to Scotland the less we have of it the better. In the speeches made by Mr Serimgeour (Independent) and Mr Lansbury (First Commissioner of Work), there were some well-directed thrusts at the Modernists in the Church of England teaching contrary to her Creed, and accepting the Church’s pay for the same. It was pointed out that some of them should have been on trial before this. Mr Lansbury, who manages to square his Anglo-Catholicism with his Socialism, is, however, an out-and-out supporter of the Bill. At the time of writing the Bill has passed its second reading, but as Mr Clynes, for the Government, gave the Bill a cold reception, its prospects of becoming law are not very bright.
Important.
We would advise our readers to get into immediate touch with the Secretary of N.C.D. Movement, 25 Victoria Street, Westminster, London, S.W. 1, to get petitions against the Blasphemy Laws (Amendment) Bill, for though it has not the sanction of the Government it is a very short Bill and might slip through easily. It would be a thousand pities if it would find a place on the Statute Book. Members of Parliament ought also to be approached.
Burial Prayers Criticised.
The Rev. Dr Philip (a former Moderator of the U.F. Church), in his third Warrack Lecture in the Church of Scotland College, Aberdeen, among other things made reference to burial prayers. “It seems to me,” he said, “that a great deal that is said and done at such times is false, and neither brings comfort to the living nor expresses our duty to the dead.” Perhaps there is no place where so much fulsome, false flattery is to be heard as at the side of an open grave. One often wonders what must be the feelings of those attending a funeral when they hear professed servants of Christ make references to the departed that are as false as they are uncalled for. Of course we admit that the same thing takes place in the service held in the house, but these things ought not to be.
Sabbath Fishing.
The question of Sabbath fishing has come up time and again in recent years. The Scottish women fish-workers have taken a definite stand against handling herring caught on Sabbath at the English ports. But a new development has taken place by the decision come to at a meeting of the British Curers’ Association held in Aberdeen. A motion was brought forward to the effect that the curers should refuse to handle fish caught on Saturday night and Sabbath night. Another motion was that they should refuse to handle only the Saturday night catches. Both motions were defeated, and it was decided, by a considerable majority, to allow the English fishing vessels to carry on their present practice of fishing on any day they liked. This decision is most regrettable, and places the Scottish women workers in a very difficult position. It is to be hoped they will make a firm stand, for the curers are helpless without them.