THE General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland and the Free Church met at Edinburgh on 19th May under the Moderators of the Rev. Prof Lamont, D.D., and Rev. Peter W. Miller, B.D., respectively. The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland was shorn of much of its outward show owing to the Court mourning. The General Assembly of the United Free Church met at Edinburgh on 2nd June, under the Moderators of Rev. Alfred Merriweather, Edinburgh.
CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.
The Jews.—On Wednesday the reports of the Jewish Mission Committee and Women’s Jewish Mission were submitted. The Assembly expressed “profound regret that the past year has brought no alleviation of the sufferings caused to the Jewish people by the inhumane political, social, and economic persecutions prevalent in Central and Eastern Europe” and protested against “the religious intolerance, the narrow nationalism and race pride on which anti-Semitic hatreds are based.” The congregational contributions to Jewish Missions, it was stated, had decreased by £1514 during the year: 498 congregations gave nothing towards the Fund. A Day of Intercession was appointed for 27th September for the divine blessing on the Jewish people. The Convener in presenting his report said: “We in this country know very little of the suffering of the Jews on the Continent in recent years. There were thousands of refugees wandering about seeking new homes, and turned
away from countries which had no room for them. These men and women were dying of starvation and penury. Persecution was being pushed forward with unrelenting severity. It was a heart-breaking experience for parents to see their boys and girls treated as ‘untouchables’ because of their Jewish blood.”
Report of the Maintenance of the Ministry Committee.—This report was submitted by Mr. William Whitelaw. The Committee were of opinion that the question of how the Church’s money was invested should be examined by a Special Committee which would report to next Assembly. Dr. Weatherhead commented on the anxiety caused by the fact that the Fund had been drifting backwards so far as congregational contributions are concerned since the Union in 1929. The Assembly approved of the minimum salary remaining at £300 with a Manse.
Foreign Missions.—On Thursday the main subject of interest was the Foreign Missions Report. Dr. Taylor told of the intensive campaign in the Church to awaken interest in foreign missions. The General Fund expenditure had been met except for a deficit of £380 but there was a serious decrease in congregational contributions and also to the Women’s Fund so that there was a total deficit of about £900. Taking the two funds together, there was a congregational decrease of about £8,800. Had it not been for very generous individual donations, including one of £6,000 and another of £2,500 for the reduction of debt, the position would have been still more serious.
Lapsing of Communicants.—A long discussion took place on proposals of the General Administration Committee with regard to the keeping of Communion rolls, a matter which was associated with an overture from the Presbytery of Glasgow dealing with the lapsing of church members. The draft Act proposed that a communicant’s name “shall be removed from one communion roll of the church to another only by certificate of transference, and such certificate shall not entitle to enrolment after the expiry of three years from the date which it bears. It was further suggested that the names of those persons who at the annual revisal of the communion roll were found to have been absent for three consecutive years without a sufficient reason given should be removed from the roll. It was also recommended that the kirk-session should not retain the name of any person on the communion roll without being satisfied that the person, being in other respects worthy, gave evidence of real interest in the Church’s work and worship in that congregation. The Rev. Dr. James Harvey, joint senior Clerk of Assembly, said they felt there was a modification of the recommendations which came into force in 1931. The modification had the effect of lessening any difficulties which might be experienced in connection with the retention and the prevention of lapsing of church members. The Rev. Dr. J. T. Cox, joint senior Clerk, said that many had the feeling that persons whose names had been removed from the communion roll under the regulations should not be debarred access to Communion, and the idea in the minds of the Committee was that even although persons had had their names removed from the communion roll and placed on the supplementary roll, they should be allowed to go to communion any time they wished unless they were under discipline. During the discussion the Rev. H. Shirlaw, Lochee, said there were certain members of congregations who did not deserve to be members, and every minister who was doing his duty knew who they were “We have cut out discipline,” he said, “from the Church and what have we substituted? With popular attractions and devices to draw people into the Church, we have lost to a very large extent the sympathy of the cultured and educated classes, and I question whether we have not lost the respect of the poor.” Mr. Shirlaw might have spoken more strongly without exaggeration. Dr. Marshall Lang, however, regarded Mr. Shirlaw’s speech as jarring on one’s inmost feelings and cautioned the Assembly to be careful of excluding from the privilege of communion those who did not show sufficient interest in the Church. An amendment by Dr. Bogle that the section dealing with the removal of the communicant’s name from the communion roll who gave no evidence of interest in the church’s work and worship be deleted. This was carried by 172 to 122. The Assembly finally decided to send the proposed Act as amended down to the Presbyteries for an expression of their opinion. We have given considerable space to the discussion of this subject in the Assembly as it is one that not only affects the Church of Scotland but other Presbyterian Churches in Scotland; and as there is the possibility that the question of communion rolls may be raised at some time in our own Church we forbear making any further comments meantime on the matter.
National Church Extension Fund.—On Friday when the report on Home Missions was submitted it was intimated that a sum of £161,406 had been contributed to the above Fund. An All Scotland Mission was suggested to deal with Scotland’s Churchless Million. One of the speakers (Dr. Morgan) pointed out that at the time of the Union there was a promise made of an effort to reclaim the Churchless Million but now at the end of seven years instead of an increase they had to record a drop in membership. The Reconstruction and Forward Movements of former years in their barrenness should not be forgotten by those who are making plans to reclaim the churchless million.
Highlands and Islands.—The report of the Committee on the Highlands and Islands was submitted on Friday when the Vice-Convener (Rev. Donald Campbell) made reference to the conditions prevalent through depopulation, etc. The Assembly noted with satisfaction that the number of vacant charges in the Gaelic-speaking area were on the decrease. While every sympathy should be shown where there is distress and lawful means used to alleviate it it might be worth the Government’s while to appoint a Commission to inquire into the question of attenuated congregations of the Church of Scotland whose ministers are drawing handsome salaries while the main work of looking after the spiritual interests of the people is done by ministers of other denominations whose attitude to the ancient standards of the Church of Scotland is more in accordance with these standards than the present Church of Scotland is. Some of the money saved might be put to better uses than it is at present.
Church of Scotland’s Property.—When Mr. Robert Miller, Glasgow, Convener of the Church and Manse Building Committee submitted his report he announced that throughout Scotland the Church is in possession of property valued at £30,000,000.
Abyssinia and Italy.—In the report of the Church and Nation Committee submitted on Saturday grave dissatisfaction was expressed that the League of Nations had not been able to protect Abyssinia from the unwarranted aggression of Italy and the growth of armed forces among nations was deplored.
Finances of the Church.—In submitting the report of the Committee on General Finance Mr. J. J. Herdman said they had to admit a decline in contributions from parishes and congregations of £18,700, and in donations of £25,900. On the other hand there was a decrease in the expenditure of some of the Committees and an increase of £3,200 in the amount of legacies. The total income of the Church passing through the books of the General Treasurer was about £1,430,000. Contributions from parishes and congregations had not yet reached the half-million figure, but they were within £50,000 of that total. The total amount of Christian liberality was £1,721,000, which was a decrease of £25,000 on the figure for 1934. If they added to that amount donations, legacies, and other income, they had a grand total of about £2,700,000 which was an increase of £79,000 over 1934.
Decrease of Sabbath School Numbers and Lapsing of the Young.—The Rev. W. J. Smith, Glasgow, in submitting the report of the Committee on Religious Instruction of Youth on Monday, 25th May, made reference to the serious increase of juvenile crime in Scotland. In Glasgow alone, he said, during 1935 criminal charges against juveniles numbered 1014, as against 832 in 1934. There were nearly 15,000 fewer children in Sabbath Schools and nearly 3,000 fewer young people attending Bible classes. In view of the great array of organisations, etc., whose aim it is to keep a hold of the young these figures are a most damaging indictment and ought to make the promoters of these new-fangled methods ask themselves the question are they on the right track in dealing with the young.
Union of Congregations.—Since the Union of 1929 there had been 329 unions of congregations said Rev. Duncan Ross in submitting the report of the Committee on Union of Congregations and Re-Adjustment of Agencies. This number went beyond the most sanguine expectations of the Committee he added. As far as the press reports were concerned no mention was made of the numerous failures to bring together congregations of the same Church nor the unseemly squabbles connected therewith.
The Kirkmabreck Case.—Reference was made to this notorious case through an addendum put forward by Rev. M. Babington, Glamis. The addendum was objected to on the ground that the case was sub judice but Mr. Babington replied that his motion was designedly intended to avoid any further sad, miserable appeals to the law. The Procurator (Sheriff A. Campbell Black, K.C.) gave the ruling that the addendum was quite competent. At a later session the addendum was ruled out of order as coming in conflict with a finding of the Assembly in the case.
Sea of Galilee Agreement.—The Special Committee appointed in connection with an overture aenent the desecration of the Sea of Galilee for commercial purposes submitted their report through the Rev. T. B. Stewart Thomson, Edinburgh. Mr. Thomson referred to the agreement for one year arrived at between the Government of Palestine and the Rutenberg Electric Corporation as to the maximum and minimum levels of the Sea of Galilee. The Assembly approved of a deliverance expressing the hope that on the expiry of the experimental period a final settlement would be reached which would be satisfactory to the religious sentiment of Christendom.
The League of Nations.—On Tuesday (26th May) when the report of the Church and Nation Committee was submitted by Rev. J. Hutchison Cockburn, Dunblane, reference was made to the League of Nations, that necropolis of so many unrealised hopes. After the tragic helplessness of the League in the Abyssinian tragedy it seems strange to hear a man in Dr. Cockburn’s position giving expression to the following sentiment. “One potent expression of internationalism was the League of Nations, which, in spite of its weakness and failures that might be laid to its charge, was in the end the anchor of hope for a weary world.” How long will the professed followers of Christ hug the strong delusion that the League of Nations is the anchor of hope for a weary world. Surely God has shown to the civilised world that this pious dream of well-intentioned men is a delusion that has ended in a terrible nightmare to one of the smaller nations. The hope of the world is in Christ whom the League of Nations never acknowledged and whom it will continue to ignore unless a mighty change comes over it. The pacifist position was presented in an aggressive speech by Rev. G. F. Macleod, Govan, at the conclusion of which he said: “The pacifist position, he realised, was one in which they might have to give up the British Empire. Is the British Empire or the way to God to come first?”
Football Pools.—The failure of the Church and Nation Committee’s endeavours to deal with the evil of football pool betting was referred to by the Rev. Dr. Archibald Chisholm. We were defeated, said Dr. Chisholm, but we are in no way dismayed. The Churches are examining the whole situation afresh with a view to securing legislation which will deal with this serious problem. An addendum was moved by Rev. F. E. Watson, Bellshill, in which he asked the Assembly “to deplore the increasing tendency in recent years on the part of successive governments to yield to the pressure and intimidation of the various sections of the socially parasitic, vested industry of gambling.” Dr. Cockburn moved an alternative addendum which Mr. Watson described as “a milk and water” alternative. Mr. James Brown, M.P., a former High Commissioner, supported Mr. Watson and in doing so spoke of “the gymnastics of the Government to evade the subject.” The addendum was lost by a large majority.
Still Coquetting with the Church of England.—Notwithstanding the rather indifferent reception given by the larger Church to the advances of the Church of Scotland the latter under the mesmeric influence of the larger union idea is still endeavouring to keep in her eye the powerful Church over the Border. The whole movement is symptomatic of the drift from the old moorings and the voyage on the unknown and uncharted ocean of ecclesiastical uncertainty. Principal Martin who had a prominent share in engineering the Union of 1929 is evidently clinging with a fond hope to see closer relations established between the two Churches. The unmistakably indifferent, if not chilling, reception by the Church of England only seems to have the effect on himself and others to stir up all their ardour as wooers. Dr. Marshall Lang, last year’s Moderator and brother of the Archbishop of Canterbury, made reference to happy omens of a better day to encourage any drooping of spirits that might be among the supporters of this movement. Dr. Hector Macpherson threw some cold water on the scheme by saying we do not look forward to corporate union. We want to keep our own witness for the things for which we stand. The Assembly instructed the Committee to report to next Assembly.
Religious Instruction in the Day Schools.—Principal Martin in supporting the report of the Committee on Education made reference to the 1918 Act and its amendment. The matter he said had its financial aspects and the Committee told them certain inquiries were still being pursued. It may be an easy matter to get an Act on the Statute Book; it may be another thing to have it repealed and it is within the range of possibility that even though Scotland was united to a man in demanding the repeal of the notorious section 18 of the Act that the Government would be faced by the Roman Catholic authorities as the Manitoba Government were faced with heavy financial claims when they repealed the legislation setting up the Separate Schools. The Church of Rome has arrogance enough to demand her price for the privilege so stupidly bestowed upon her by Protestant statesmen. There is general agreement that religious instruction should be given in the schools but one is face to face with the problem that, while teachers generally are in sympathy with giving religious instruction, there are some of them who have imbibed the higher critical ideas of the Bible and whose instruction may be very detrimental to those taught by them. An amendment to the Committee’s deliverance was moved by Dr. Barbour, Bonskeid, and carried to the effect that the Committee continue its efforts not only to secure adequate instruction but time for religious instruction in all Scottish schools.
Deaconesses as Preachers.—Dr. R. S. Calderwood in submitting the report of the Committee on Christian Life and Work reminded the Assembly that the Committee last year proposed that under certain conditions deaconesses might be allowed to preach. That proposal was sent down to Presbyteries and 36 were in favour and 25 against. While he believed that there was a larger body of opinion in favour of licensing than the result would indicate the Committee suggested that the licensing of deaconesses be left over meantime.
Discussion on Section 18 of Education Act.—On the forenoon of the last day (Thursday, 29th May), of the Assembly’s deliberations the Rev. F. E. Watson expressed the opinion that neither the General Assembly nor the House of Commons would ever have the courage to oppose the Roman Catholic Church and amend section 18 of the Education (Scotland) Act. He moved that “in the event of the amendment of Section 18 being found impossible the Committee [on Education] take the preliminary steps to secure for the Church of Scotland similar privileges in the matter of education as Section 18 conferred upon the Roman Catholic and Scottish Episcopal Churches.” The principle of subsidising religious education in the public schools of Britain had never been thought of in the English education system until the present Education Bill had been brought before the House of Commons. They found the Government accepting the principle because Scotland had been so placid and contented with it since 1918. Mr. Watson’s more thorough going policy did not find much sympathy in the Assembly.
The Assembly closed its deliberations on Thursday, 29th May.
FREE CHURCH.
Welfare of Youth.—On Tuesday evening the report of this Committee was submitted by Rev. J. M. Maclennan, Lairg, in the absence of the Convener. Mr. Maclennan said that the examination results showed how thoroughly the Bible and the Shorter Catechism were taught to their young people. The Assembly adopted an addendum to the Committee’s deliverance moved by Rev. Kenneth A. Macrae, Stornoway, directing the attention of the Committee to the desirability of the periodical publication of a series of cheap pamphlets dealing with the Church’s testimony and the various religious issues of the day.
Sustentation Fund Report.—On Wednesday Rev. W. Macleod, Dornoch, submitted the report of the Sustentation Fund Committee. In course of his speech he said that last year the liberality of their people had reached its high water mark since 1900 as far as the contributions of the people were concerned. The equal dividend of £245 to ministers on the equal dividend platform in addition to the premium of £7 paid in their behalf to the Widows’ and Orphans’ Fund was continued.
Delegates Received.—On Wednesday evening Mr. M. Kyriakakis, a member of the Greek Evangelical Church; Rev. Dr. J. Gibson Inkster, Presbyterian Church of Canada, and Rev. W. H. Hamilton, Pan-Presbyterian Alliance, delivered messages to the Assembly and were thanked by the Moderator.
Finance Committee Report.—Mr. Donald Macarthur, Glasgow, in submitting this report said that the Foreign Missions Committee was carrying a debt of £7039 and they had budgeted this year for a further debit of £800. The Committee had put a proposal before the Finance Committee that the debt should be cancelled by a payment from the Reserve Fund. He pointed out that the Foreign Missions were already receiving interest on some £19,000 of the Reserve Fund. There was considerable discussions as to whether the Foreign Missions Committee’s proposal be adopted by the Assembly or not. Rev. William Macleod, Dornoch, pointed out that there was no Reserve Fund for general purposes; that the purpose of the Reserve Fund was to cover depreciation and loss of capital and it could not be said that the debit balance on Foreign Missions came within that specified purpose. The deliverance of the Finance Committee was finally adopted by the Assembly after a vote—Revs. Kenneth A. Macrae, Roderick Macleod, William Fraser and Dr. Munro dissenting.
Public Questions.—On Thursday the report of the Committee on Public Questions was submitted by Rev. John Macleod, Glasgow. The failure of the League of Nations in the Abyssinian War, betting and gambling, Sabbath desecration, irregular marriages, were some of the matters that came under review. In seconding the Committee’s deliverance Dr. Stewart severely criticised an Edinburgh paper’s characterisation of the Moderator’s opening address as “a gloomy picture.” Rev. William Fraser blamed the Church of Scotland for not speaking out clearly in defence of the Sabbath Day—individual ministers might be doing so but not the Church as a whole.
Powers of the Training of the Ministry Committee.—Overtures against an Act passed by the Assembly in 1934 conferring powers on the Committee which were regarded as subversive of Presbyterian principles caused considerable discussion. The Act was described by some of its opponents in the press as a new Declaratory Act and one writer under the pen-name Luc in Tenebris, had a fling, as it was fashionable at the time, against the Free Presbyterian Church as the only Church in which such strange things might be permitted. However, the anonymous critic in his effort to put things right in his own Church should not have brought a false charge against a Church which with all its faults never made such an acknowledged blunder as did the Free Church Assembly in 1934 in passing this Act and the anonymous critic basking in light amidst the surrounding darkness should have been more careful of the claims of truth. The feeling caused throughout the Church was keener than Dr. Stewart would have made one believe. A motion to pass from the overtures sent up against the Act of 1934 was defeated by a large majority. How the Assembly allowed such a piece of legislation to pass seems strange though there may be reasons unknown to us. If such an Act had been passed by the Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church we cannot imagine what the learned critics who acted as our guides in the press would have had to say. At a later session a Committee was appointed to explore the functions of the Training of the Ministry Committee and define its measure of responsibility for the admission or dismissal of students and its relations to the Presbyteries of the Church.
Vacant Chairs.—The Rev. P. W. Miller, B.D., the Moderator, was appointed to the vacant Hebrew Chair. The new Professor is a native of Olrig, Caithness. The appointment to the chair of New Testament Greek was delayed. Mr. E.K. Simpson is to carry on the work of the class for another year.
Psalmody Committee.—The report of the Psalmody Committee was presented by Rev. Dr. Munro, Rogart. Dr. Munro said that praise was the only part of the worship where the congregation could take part audibly. Where an instrument was used it sometimes happened that some merely listened to the music. But it was different in the Free Church. Heartless singing had a depressing effect on the preacher and on the congregation. No doubt the great matter was to have the heart attuned to sing the praises of the Lord, but that did not, of course, imply that discord or bad singing would add to the spirituality of the work.
Lapsing of Youth.—Various reasons were given for the lapsing of the youth of the Church: one speaker describing it as a feature of the day. It is rather striking that the stricter the Church is the less there is of the lapsing of the young. A number of years ago a Free Church minister remarked that the strictness of the Free Presbyterian Church would soon scare all our young people away. It has not been so. Now the plague has entered the Free Church itself which was supposed to be less immune owing to its wider charity and less stringent attitude.
Representative Elders for Consolidated Charges.—When the Law and Advisory Committee’s report was submitted by Rev. W. A. Fowler it was mentioned that the Committee had advised that where there had been the consolidation of two charges only one representative elder should be appointed. The Rev. Donald Mackay moved as an amendment that there should be two representative elders where there were two sessions e.g. in Bower and Watten. This had been the practice since he had been settled minister over the joint-charges. The Assembly, on a vote, supported the Committee’s view.
The Assembly closed its proceedings on Tuesday, 27th May.
UNITED FREE CHURCH.
Legacies.—When the Assembly met on Wednesday (3rd June) the agreement made with the Church of Scotland at the time of the Union regarding the destination of legacies was criticised. The Rev. James Barr, Junior Principal Clerk pointed out that under the heads of agreement made and confirmed in October 1929, any gift, legacy, or bequest left, bequeathed, or made for the purposes of the United Free Church passed automatically to the Church of Scotland if the will or other document conveying it was subscribed before October 2, 1929. It did not follow that any similar document subscribed after that date passed automatically to the United Free Church. On the contrary, even though the will were in the clearest terms, should the testator belong to either the Church of Scotland or any other Church other than the United Free Church, the Church of Scotland could call in machinery to prove, if possible, through an arbitrator, that, whatever the testator did or said, he or she could never have meant to leave a legacy to the United Free Church, but that it must go to the Church of Scotland. There were other injustices the Committee would like to see redressed, said Mr. Barr. For instance, United Free Church undergraduates had now the right to compete with Church of Scotland students for certain bursaries at the University, but did not have a similar opportunity of competition in the divinity halls. The position of the Committee was, however, that the United Free Church had made an agreement, and he did not see how they could either seek to resile from it or to have it annulled.
Foreign Missions.—On Thursday, Mr. John Forrester-Paton submitted the report of the Overseas Work Committee. During the year the contributions of congregations amounted to £1328. The total sum (including contributions from the Women’s Fund) gave a figure of 1/5½d. for each member of the Church which was equivalent to a penny every third Sabbath. Mr. Forrester-Paton asked: “How much missionary, is expressed by putting one penny on to the collection plate every third ‘Sunday’?”
Church’s Attitude to War.—A recommendation solemnly renouncing War and that under no consideration recourse should be had to the sword raised considerable discussion during the last day of the Assembly (Friday) when the report of the Committee on Christian Citizenship was submitted. An amendment for deleting the “renouncing all war” clause received only four supporters.
The Kirkmabreck Case.—This case which has already awakened considerable misgivings in the minds of many in the Church of Scotland was referred to by Mr. J. Rutherford Hill in submitting the above report. He said that the Church of Scotland’s claim to spiritual freedom had been challenged by what had become known as the Kirkmabreck case. The Established Church leaders were far from comfortable. That the judgment was by no means acceptable to many in the Established Church was made very apparent by the very able public criticisms in the daily press. There was also the almost pathetic appeal by the editor of a well-known religious weekly and by Principal Martin that the congregation should accept the decision of the Court of Session, and waive their right of appeal to the House of Lords. The Established Church had even, in another case that might result in Court procedure, made a bargain that the decision of the Court of Session would be accepted. “They seem to think they can count on a sympathetic and friendly decision from a Court sitting in Edinburgh, and are afraid to run the risk of an appeal to the House of Lords in London,” said Mr. Hill. “It looks rather as if the position is felt to be precarious and that the wish is father to the thought, when the magazine comment says the judgment of the Lord Justice-Clerk is ‘the opening of a new chapter in the relations of the Church of Christ with civil powers in Scotland.'”
Other Matters.—When the report of the Committee on Temperance and Public Morals was submitted out-spoken criticism was made in it on matters of public interest. We subjoin to our review a summary of the criticisms made by the Committee on matters of public interest. In certain quarters these criticisms may be characterised as sanctimonious—at least they would be so if coming from a Free Presbyterian source but probably coming from a broad-minded Church like the United Free they may be considered sane and well-timed.
The Assembly closed its proceedings on Friday (5th June).