Straight Speaking.—The Bible Witness quotes some sentences from an address delivered by Dr. French Oliver, an American evangelist, at present in this country. Here are some of his comments:—”Every dance that is conducted in connection with a church is defiling the holy place. Every iniquitous whist drive under the auspices of a church is an insult to God, and defiles the holy place. When you make a church as a den of thieves in the sale of jumble stuff and all that kind of infamy, you are defiling the holy place. If you want to give something to God, give it. The other thing is not giving, you are simply buying something that is all.” This coming from an American is refreshing. One wonders what kind of reception such statements would meet with from Presbyterians even of the more conservative bodies. Dr. Oliver further said that the depression was a judgment of God upon the nations. There would be no cure for it this side of repentance on the part of the nations. The anti-God movement was sweeping nations at the present time, but God’s answer to that was that His enemies should lick the dust. The tide of degeneracy and apostasy was rising and they were facing a gigantic international apostasy which God would judge.
Protest against Scoto-Anglican Conferences.—The National Church Association for the safeguarding of the Protestant and Presbyterian Witness of the Church of Scotland has issued a manifesto, in which they say among other things:—”Despite the assurances which have been proceeding from official quarters, there is widespread anxiety over the ‘unrestricted conference’ agreed to at last General Assembly and a feeling that the Church of Scotland had embarked on a hazardous adventure and is being led in the dark along a path of which no one can see the end. . . . So far from approaching nearer to the Protestant position the Anglican authorities have rather moved nearer and nearer to Rome. . . . Our leaders are in conference with Anglican churchmen who are themselves willingly
or unwillingly parties to the movement now going on to bring the Church of England nearer to Rome.” Time will tell whether there is sufficient zeal for the truth to make this protest effective. Surely there must be many in the Church of Scotland who are deeply grieved at the downgrade movement within its borders theologically and ecclesiastically.
Consternation of Sabbath Breakers.—A prospective Bill for the restriction of trading on the Sabbath has thrown Sabbath traders into consternation. The Bill is being backed by the Grocers’ Federation, the National Amalgamated Union of Shop Assistants, the Early Closing Association and other bodies. “If we do not fight this attempt to restrict ‘Sunday’ trading,” says an official of the National Union of Retail Confectioners, “it will be serious for us. These attempts to close all shops on ‘Sundays’ are being made very quietly, and if something is not done the public will wake up one morning and find they are unable to buy cigarettes, tobacco, or sweets on a ‘Sunday.’ To most sober-minded people this, instead of a calamity to be dreaded, would be hailed as a blessing. The Bill does not provide for complete Sabbath closing but it is meant to restrict Sabbath trading so far hence the cry against it by those who find the Sabbath a profitable day for gain. A deputation in favour of the Bill waited on the Home Secretary but did not get much encouragement.