Change of Government.
—The Socialist Government has given place to a National Government. It is faced with a formidable task and it would appear that we are far from the end of our financial troubles as a nation yet everything is being carried on as if God was not speaking. Our politicians are busy trying to balance the Budget forgetful that there is a greater debt to be settled before it can be well with us as a nation.
Day of Prayer.
—One encouraging sign amidst the prevailing darkness is the request for a day of prayer coming from various quarters. This is hopeful and would be still more encouraging if it were more universal. A motion, which was agreed to, came before the Edinburgh Presbytery of the Church of Scotland suggesting that the Presbytery should initiate a movement for a national day of prayer and that with this end in view they should approach the Moderator for the Church of Scotland and the Archbishop of Canterbury for the Church of England to ask the King to set apart as early as practicable an Empire-wide day of prayer in co-operation with the President of the United States. This is so far good but one would desire something more, viz., a national day of humiliation as well as prayer. For we have not any doubt that God is speaking to the nations in the crisis through which so many of them are passing—nations whose financial stability was at one time regarded as unshakable.
Sabbath Desecration Bill.
—The fate of this Bill known in Parliament as the “Sunday Performances Regulation Bill” is somewhat uncertain. Sir Herbert Samuel, Home Secretary, in answer to a question in the House of Commons, said it was doubtful when the Bill returned to the House from the Committee stage whether it would be regarded as substantially non-controversial. In that event it would not, in present circumstances, be possible to proceed with it. If no legislative action was taken the London County Council and other authorities could not postpone indefinitely action to close cinemas on the “Sunday” in London and elsewhere. The opinion of Parliament, as expressed by resolution, was that this would not be desirable. The Government would be prepared, therefore, to introduce a short Bill to preserve the status quo for a period of one year, provided that this was the best way of dealing with that matter. The original Bill would be left in abeyance until Parliament was better able to deal with it. So far the Home Secretary. Our politicians, not yet realising the rude shock they have given the nation by their blind trifling with economic laws are determined to play fast and loose with the laws of heaven and the laws of this realm. Why should the London County Council be permitted to glaringly flout the law of the land? Our politicians may yet discover that terrible though a financial crisis is that there is something more terrible still and in these evil days it would be wise for them to range themselves on the side of the Lawgiver of heaven and earth than foolishly provoke Him to further manifestations of His displeasure against us as a nation.
The Schneider Cup Trophy Contest.
—The following protest was issued by the Lord’s Day Observance Society: “The Lord’s Day Observance Society protests against the staging of the Schneider Cup Trophy Contest on the hallowed hours of the Lord’s Day. This contest, if it can be called a contest, has established a new precedent in needlessly turning the Christian Sabbath into an orgy of excitement amongst a million spectators. To thus profane the quiet of God’s Day with din and pandemonium is in the opinion of multitudes of our countrymen a humiliating misuse of the first Sabbath after the Nation’s crisis. If violation of God’s Sabbath Commandment is organised in this way can we expect a continuance of Divine blessing on the Nation?” We understand the Secretary, Mr. H. H. Martin, received letters and postcards after the above protest couched in language that revealed the satanic spirit that possessed the writers. On the Wednesday after the Sabbath on which Flight-Lieut. Stainforth made his speed record, while cruising with his machine, it turned turtle and sank. The airman had a narrow escape from being drowned. The incident, no doubt, has a message for him and others. Lady Houston, who financed the Cup Trophy Contest to the extent of £100,000, quoted Mark II. 27, by way of reply to the above protest from which it is evident that her ladyship, like so many others, is sadly in the dark as to the meaning of the Saviour’s words.