Evolution at the British Association Meetings.—The British Association for the Advancement of Science has been holding its meetings this year in London. Papers were read by the leading scientists of the day, men who have specialised in their own departments. Some of the papers were most interesting, others too profound for ordinary people. Wise things were said and some very foolish things also. In fact it is almost incredible how utterly senseless are some of the things learned men give utterance to. Among other subjects dealt with was Evolution in the Zoology Section. Dr. Robert Broom, South Africa, with an air of infallibility that would have done credit to a Hildebrand, announced that he had solved the origin of mammals. We had a complete record he said of mammals going back for 40 million years. The process has seemingly stopped though he gave no reason, as far as the newspaper report indicates, of the cause of the stoppage in the evolutionary process. “There is no reptile alive to-day,” he said, “which can give rise to a mammal, no fish which can become a reptile, and no animal which can become a man. The evolution of reptiles and animals is complete, and for thirty million years no new reptile has appeared in the world.” When this learned scientist sat down having in his own estimation solved the great problems which no evolutionist has ever yet solved the veteran scientist Prof. D’Arcy Thompson rose and in the following shattering sentences, as reported in the “Glasgow Herald,” riddled Dr. Broom’s argument: “We have been told,” he said, “that rents have been torn in the veil which surrounds the mystery of evolution, and that this has irretrievably destroyed chapters of the Old Book. That explanation does not suffice for me, and I honestly believe that we are as ignorant as we were 70 years ago. In the great gaps between vertebrates and invertebrates there is no possibility of one passing into the other. I am not defying the evidence of evolution, but I believe that any attempt to find an invertebrate which has passed into a
vertebrate type is doomed to failure.” We are grateful to Prof. D’Arey Thompson for his utterance. It will not restrain the lively imaginations of a certain school of scientists who have become so obsessed with the idea of evolution that they have come to believe that the figments of their imaginations are synonymous with facts.
George Müller’s Homes.—The Homes for Orphan Children begun and carried on for so many years by that remarkable man, Mr. George Müller, are still maintaining the great example set before them by their founder. The 92nd Annual Report issued the other month shows an income of £37,316; the year closing with a balance of £17,254. From the commencement of the Homes the sum of £2,703,228 has been received without any request being made except to the God who has said that the silver and the gold are His. Mr. Müller died in 1898. During the year 970 children were cared for and, unlike so many institutions of the kind, the directors wish it to be known that they have many vacancies for orphans—especially girls. This is one of the noblest works carried on in our country and those who have read the life of George Müller will be pleased to know that the institution built up and carried on by prayer in his time is maintained in the same way still.
Christian Political Party Formed in Germany.—Christianity To-day (Philadelphia) has a paragraph announcing the formation of a political party in the German Republic under the above name. The movement began in Wurtemberg in 1925 and had as its aim the election to the city councils only such as had shown by their conduct that they were Christians. In the neighbouring states of Baden and Bavaria a similar movement originated in 1927. These parties became united and organized a new political party based upon the Word of God. One of the leaders of the movement says it was born in an atmosphere of prayer. That the party has considerable support is evident from the fact that it polled 900,000 votes in the election of September last year and elected 14 members of the
German parliament. The leaders maintain that what Germany needs in her distress is a return to the Word of God and an acknowledgment of God as the Sovereign Ruler. When will such a party be set up in Britain?
Noted Ministers of the Northern Highlands, etc.—The price of Some Noted Ministers of the Northern Highlands and Sermons of Noted Ministers of the Northern Highlands has been reduced to 2/6 each post free. They make useful gifts to our young people abroad who are interested in knowing something about the men with whose names they were familiar from their childhood’s years. The books may be obtained from those whose names are given at foot of p. ii. of the cover of the Magazine.
Free Church Union Committee’s Answer to Synod.—The Monthly Record of the Free Church of Scotland in its October issue contains the Free Church Union Committee’s “Plain Statement in Answer to the Free Presbyterian Synod.” The “Plain Statement” is a somewhat lengthy paper, and was re-printed in the Northern Chronicle (Inverness). At the time of writing some correspondence has already appeared in the Press and probably more will follow. As it purports to be an answer to the Free Presbyterian Synod we have no doubt, though we have no authority to speak in the Synod’s name, that the Synod will reply to it when it meets in May. Meantime we would ask our readers to reserve their judgment until they hear what can be said from the Free Presbyterian side. An appropriate text for the present occasion is Provs. xviii. 17.
A Bad Bill Passed.—With fevered haste the National Government rushed through the Sunday Performances (Temporary Regulation) Bill before the dissolution of Parliament. The Prime Minister, a strict Sabbatarian according to words but like others as far as his actions are concerned, put in a plea for the Bill, and the anxiety evidenced by Sir Herbert Samuel to have the Bill passed looked as if he was to place on the Statute Book an Act that would enhance his fame for ages
to come. What lay behind all this? Well, for one thing, the London County Council had been glaringly breaking the law of the land, and rather than make this powerful body obey the law like any other institution in the country, our legislators had to rush through this temporary measure. After Sir William Jowett’s shameless confession that he winked at this transgression of the law it need not be wondered at that the Home Office would do its best to shield this powerful Council. There are doubtless other reasons, but it shows what we have come to when law-breakers must have the law changed lest they be made to face the penalty for their lawlessness. The National Government, born in a time of crisis, has had a very bad record as far as Sabbath observance is concerned.
Organ Dedicated to a Woman Minister.—Partick Congregational Church, Glasgow, has had an organ dedicated to their minister, the Rev. Vera M. M. Findlay. Principal M. Hywell Hughes, Scottish Congregational College, in making the dedication, said among other things, that it was an expression of the gratitude of the congregation to their minister for her devotion and splendid service. This is the first time we have read of an organ being dedicated to a preacher, and while we believe all such dedications saviour of Popery we need not wonder if in a back-sliding age Miss Vera Findlay will have a place in the calendar of modern Scottish Congregationalism as one of its saints.