Prayers for the Dead. At a conference of ministers and laymen held in February by the Church Service Society, Dr. Warr, minister of St. Giles and Dean of the Thistle among other things said: “He was in no doubt that a secret ballot of the Scottish clergy would find but a minority still adhering, without qualification, as regarded that momentous question (i.e., heaven and hell) to the findings of the Westminster Divines.” The speech in which these words occurred and in which also he defended prayers for the blessed dead called forth strong criticism and we quote in a further note part of Dr. Warr’s reply. Lord Sands, an elder of the Church of Scotland, at the above meeting pointed out that the First Book of Discipline, The Scots Confession and the Westminster Confession forbade prayers for the dead but prohibition was not now the law of the Church because it was in desuetude. This desuetude, however, he pointed out was not of long standing for all the funerals he had attended as a boy the burial had been silent as far as prayer at the grave was concerned. Prayer at the grave is of comparatively recent occurrence among Presbyterians in Scotland.
Church of Scotland Ministers and Prayer for the Dead.
—Dr. Warr in a letter addressed to the Scots Observer in reply to a criticism offered on his advocacy of prayer for the blessed dead writes: “The departed have had a definite place in the public intercession (as distinguished from mere thanksgiving or remembrance) of Dr. John White in the Barony of Glasgow for over twenty years, and in that of Dr. Norman MacLean of St. Cuthbert’s, Edinburgh, since his induction to that historic charge some seventeen years ago. In intercessions offered in St. Columba’s, London, by Dr. Archibald Fleming, and which have been printed and widely circulated and used, there occurs, in reference to the dead, the following: ‘Have ever in Thy gracious keeping our precious loved ones; save them from being hurt by our sorrow; bless them with the clearer knowledge that our light affliction is but for a moment. Give them the rest they need and the work they love.’ Moreover, last summer, in a Highland kirk, I heard Professor A. J. Gossip, in one of the most beautiful of intercessory prayers in which I have ever been privileged to participate, intercede on behalf of our departed dear ones that, if it would not cause them pain, God would tell them how much we missed them.” These are all ministers of the Church of Scotland and if Dr. Warr is correct, and we have no reason to question his statement, then it is high time that the Courts of that Church should look into the matter. Are all the ministers and elders of this Church to shut their eyes to this manifest departure from Confessional teaching? We know some already have uttered their protest and we hope the matter will be carried to the Church courts when it will be seen how the Church of Scotland stands in the matter.
Neglect of Bible Teaching in Schools. The Scots Observer has called attention to the neglect of Bible teaching in the public schools since the transfer of Education to a Committee of the Town or County Council especially in one area where the school population is the largest in the county. A Roman Catholic weekly commenting on this points out the great difference between the Church of Rome and the Protestant authorities in the appointment of teachers to give religious instruction in the schools. In the former a certificate of fitness to give religious instruction is required from the Roman Catholic authorities. There is no such qualification required by the Protestant authorities. True, Bible teaching forms part of the curriculum in the Training Colleges but even there the fountain, in some cases at least, is polluted by the higher critical teaching. The whole subject of giving Bible teaching in schools is one of extreme difficulty where the teacher is out of all sympathy with the Bible and its teaching. Fortunately there are still many teachers who teach the subject with sympathy to their scholars.
Useful and Instructive Pamphlets. We have received from the Protestant Truth Society, 3 and 4 St. Paul’s Church-yard, London, E.C.4, the following:—Dr. Hamilton’s excellent booklet on the history of the English Bible—The Best Book of All (price, 6d.) and The Cause of the Indian Unrest by Brig.-Gen. F. D. Frost, C.B.E., M.C. The Sovereign Grace Union, 96A Camberwell Grove, London, publish an excellent sermon on Omnipotence in Forgiving Sin, by Mr. J. H. Gosden, Maidstone (3d. post free). Messrs. Marshall, Morgan & Scott, Ltd., publish a pamphlet on The Case against Prayers for the Dead by the Rev. Nahum Levison, B.D., St. Ninian’s South Leith, with a foreword by the Rev. Donald Davidson, B.D., Ph.D., South Leith. It is encouraging to find these ministers of the Church of Scotland bearing testimony against this new cult in the Church of Scotland. Mr. Levison is a brother of Sir Leon Levison, President of the International Hebrew Christian Alliance. Another useful pamphlet that has been sent us is “Cardinal MacRory’s Claims for the Church of Rome with Reply,” by Rev. Prof. R. Russell, M.A., of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland. Prof. Russell challenges the claims put forth by the Cardinal and has no difficulty in showing their hollowness (Printed by W. & G. Baird Ltd., Belfast. Price, 3d.).
Prof. Bowman Defends Rev. G. F. Macleod, Govan. In our remarks on the Church Conference at Glasgow we had occasion to severely criticize the Rev. G. F. Macleod for his rash statements on the Sabbath and to refer in a complimentary way to Prof. Bowman’s utterance. We now discover through a cutting sent us by a correspondent to whom we express our indebtedness that the Professor is more reckless in his views on the Sabbath than even Mr. Macleod. Here are his words: “During the recent Church Congress in connection with the Forward Movement of the Church of Scotland the Rev. G. F. Macleod made a special plea for this form of Christian service, and in the course of his remarks he stated that to realise the ideals to which she was nowadays called the Church would have to be crucified again. The critics had begun by crucifying Mr. Macleod, whom they had represented as the enemy of Scottish Sabbatarianism. If Scottish Sabbatarianism was to be made to stand in the way of saving derelict human souls then it stood convicted of the grossest Pharisaism and blasphemy. Mr. Macleod was perfectly right. The old Scottish Sabbath was a compound of Judaism and sheer hypocrisy, and the future of the Church would prove to be dependent upon the ability to shed ancient superstitions which were fundamentally non-Christian at heart.” From speeches we had read of the Professor from time to time in the press we had come to the conclusion that Glasgow University was favoured in having such an outspoken exponent of Christianity but the above quoted speech shows that Professor Bowman is tarred with the same stick as too many of the leading men of the Church of Scotland. When such views as Mr. Macleod’s and Professor Bowman’s are unashamedly proclaimed how can one expect a forward movement in the Church of Scotland. When did Scottish Sabbatarianism ever stand in the way of saving derelict humanity? From a professor of moral philosophy one would expect a less reckless way of putting his case even though he saw the Scottish Sabbath through coloured spectacles as “a compound of Judaism and sheer hypocrisy.” May Scotland be delivered from such leaders!
Dr. Chalmers on the Sabbath. Over against the distorted views of the Scottish Sabbath as presented by the Rev. G. F. Macleod and Prof. Bowman we place that of Dr. Chalmers who from his knowledge was in a better position to speak on this subject than either of the foregoing. “We never, in the whole course of our recollections,” said Dr. Chalmers, “met with a Christian, who bore upon his character every other evidence of the Spirit’s operation, who did not remember the Sabbath-day, and keep it holy. We appeal to all the worthies lying in their graves, that, eminent as they were in every other grace and accomplishment of the new creature, the religiousness of their Sabbath-day shone with equal lustre amid the fine assemblage of virtues which adorned them. In every Christian household, it will be found that the discipline of a well-ordered Sabbath is never forgotten among the old lessons of a Christian education; and we appeal to every individual who now hears us, and who carries the remembrance in his bosom of a father’s worth and a father’s piety, if, on the coming round of the seventh day, an air of peculiar sacredness did not spread itself over that mansion where he first drew his breath and was taught to repeat his infant hymn and lisp his infant prayer. Rest assured that the Christian, having the love of God written in his heart, and denying the Sabbath a place in his affections, is an anomaly that is no where to be found . . . O, how is it possible that a man can be under the dominion of a principle of piety who does not love that day which brings round to piety its most precious opportunities.” Of course it may be said that Dr. Chalmers is speaking of the Sabbath-day in general and not the Scottish Sabbath. To this we reply that while this is true yet it is the Sabbath-day as he was accustomed to in his native land.