Krishnamurti.—Some of the newspapers out for anything sensational have been giving a good deal of attention to this young Hindu mystic dreamer. The “Daily Record” (Glasgow), in announcing meetings to be addressed by Krishnamurti gives him the most prominent place in its front page under the heading: “New Messiah for Scotland.” Scotland certainly needs an arousing from her deep spiritual sleep but an Indian mystic cannot make the dead hear. He will get plenty to listen to him but it would be well to remember the words of the Lord’s Messiah: “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.” Were it nothing but his early association with Mrs. Besant, the theosophist, it ought to be enough to put people on their guard against his teaching. We call attention to this matter because in the most unexpected places we have come across Krishnamurti literature.
The Continuing U.F. Church.—As far as its doctrinal position and practice is concerned we are out and out opposed to it. Its progress is not for the good of the religious life of Scotland but we cannot help noticing the protest some of its leading men are making against the alleged injustice of the Church of Scotland in handing over churches and manses where the U.F. Church claims they have a right to them. This is invariably the ways with majorities and were it not for the sharp and bitter lesson taught the undivided U.F. Church by the House of Lords we make bold to say that the majority would have taken all the churches and manses with them into the union. The threat of going to law may make the great Church of Scotland change their tactics. It is well the law has a wholesome dread for law breakers.
The Papacy.—Notwithstanding the desperate bid Rome is making for world dominion all things do not seem to be going so satisfactorily at the doors of the Vatican City as Romanists could wish. The new move in the Pontiff’s use of the wireless is significant and indicates that for its own ends the most
conservative institution in the world will not hesitate to use the most modern methods to accomplish the great end it has in view. While Protestants are rightly alarmed at the progress the Papacy is making in the United Kingdom it would appear that a like concern is felt by the Romanish ecclesiastical authorities in Italy. The “Glasgow Herald” in its Rome letter devotes a great deal of space to an incident in the progress of Protestantism in Italy which has received the attention of the Vatican organ “Osservatore Romano.” The pages of the papal organ it seems have been rather lively of late. The Pope himself seems to be perturbed for in an address to the parish priests of Rome he denounced “the danger and menace” of present day “Protestant proselytism” in Italy. The troublers of the papal peace it would appear are the Wesleyan Methodists. The Wesleyan Church began in 1862 on the initiative of a monk who had left the Church of Rome. It is now an extensive institution with about one hundred churches and schools. In the Villa San Sebastiano a mass movement to Protestantism took place. The papal authorities were alarmed and did their best to get the people back but it seems they have bade a final farewell to the Church of Rome.
Is Culture the Chief End of Man?—We put this question in view of a very foolish speech made by the Editor of the “Modern Scot” at Aberdeen recently. One would think from Mr. Whyte’s remarks that the great aim of a young Scot’s existence was culture. Culture carried along the right lines is good enough in itself but after our titanic struggle with the most cultured nation of modern times and not forgetful of its methods on sea and land we could scarcely believe that there were any alive who came through that struggle who would speak as the Editor of the “Modern Scot” does. His side-thrust at Calvinism and his wail over the departure of the culture of the Highlands as expressed in the ceilidh shows a mind incapable of understanding what made Scotland revered at home and respected abroad. It was the Calvinism of Scotland that gave
moral backbone to her sons and made them pioneers in traversing the trackless forests and blazing a way for others to follow them. What did the so-called culture of the ceilidhs ever do for Scotland? If Mr. Whyte’s sentiments are a specimen of the views held by members of the Scottish National Movement the sooner that movement gets a knock on the head the better, for Mr. Whyte’s views as expressed in his Aberdeen speech are neither Scottish nor national. Mr. Whyte might do worse than ask himself the first question in the Shorter Catechism: What is the chief end of man? and repeat the answer whenever he is tempted to make such a foolish speech as he did at Aberdeen.