World Union of Free Thinkers’ Congress.—The very thought that a Congress of Free Thinkers should meet in London has caused a considerable controversy, and criticisms have come from various quarters. Representations were made to the Home Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, to prohibit the meeting of the Congress. Sir Samuel, who is an Anglo-Catholic, while expressing full sympathy with the feelings of those making these
representations, says: “In this country, with its free institutions, it is not within the power of the Home Secretary to grant or to withhold permission for the holding of a meeting, and no ban on this congress purporting to be imposed by me would have any legal validity. There is also apprehension that the congress, though purporting to be a congress of freethinkers, may be, in fact, intended to further Communist aims. My information is that a joint committee of four English rationalist societies invited the World Union of Freethinkers to hold its quinquennial congress in London in September next, it being 50 years since a similar congress was held in this country. The World Union of Freethinkers includes in its membership members of a disbanded organisation formerly known as the International Union of Proletarian Freethinkers, but I have no evidence that the proposed congress is being organised as a means of Communist propaganda.” Whether Communists have anything to do with the Congress or not does not concern us. The plain fact is that in this so-called Christian Country a Congress is to meet the aim of whose members is to flout the deep-rooted convictions of Christian people. All this talk about liberty is beside the point. We have no liberty from heaven to think or act wrongly. The meeting of such a Congress in the very heart of the Empire is a challenge to God and a menace to our common Christianity. Unfortunately there are thousands within the Empire whose sympathies are whole-heartedly with the members of this anti-God Congress.
The Knights of St. Columba.—This is a Roman Catholic organisation which once a year pays a visit to Iona, ostensibly to venerate the memory of Columba. In doing so, however, they not only break the Sabbath, but cause others to do likewise. The so-called pilgrims from the U.S.A., France, Canada, Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland began the day early by attending Mass in Oban on Sabbath morning the 4th June, at five o’clock. About seven o’clock they set off in the “King George V.” for Iona, where Mass was again celebrated. There were days when
MacBrayne’s steamers would not be engaged in work of this kind on the Lord’s Day. It is regrettable that the employees of the Company should be called upon to engage in this new form of Sabbath breaking. The Church of Rome is not one of the forces that makes for Sabbath-keeping, as the Lord’s Day Observance Society of Scotland found when it approached the authorities of that Church in connection with the promotion of games and excursions on the Lord’s Day. Apart altogether from the idolatry of the Mass, there was the breach of the Lord’s Day, both by the so-called Pilgrims, the Shipping Company and their Employees. Whatever the religious views of Columba may have been and his ecclesiastical affinities, they certainly were not those of the Romish Church. Neither Patrick nor Columba would feel themselves at home in the Church which wrongly claims them, and which has wandered so far from apostolic purity and even from the teaching of the Celtic Church.
Church Notes.
Communions.—July: First Sabbath, Raasay, Lairg, Beauly; second, Tain, Staffin, Tomatin; third, Daviot, Halkirk, Flashadder, Rogart; fourth, Stratherrick, Plockton, Bracadale, North Uist; fifth, Achmore and Thurso (note change of date). August: First Sabbath, Dingwall (note date); second, Portree; third, Laide and Bonarbridge; fourth, Finsbay, Stornoway, Vatten. South African Mission.—The following are the dates of the Communions: Last Sabbath of March, June, September and December. [NOTE.—Notice of any additions to, or alterations of, the above dates of the Communions should be sent to the Editor.]
Proceedings of Synod.—At the Synod Meeting held in Glasgow, it was decided to discontinue the double number in July after this issue and to print the proceedings of the Synod separately. When the Clerks of Synod have these proceedings
ready it will be intimated in the Magazine, and the price fixed on will be made known.
Expansion of the Synod’s Work.—In connection with the foregoing decision of Synod it may not be out of place to give the following facts as to the space taken up in the Magazine by Synod Reports of Standing Committees and report of proceedings. The Report of the first Synod occupied only 14 or 15 lines at the foot of a page. The year after the Rev. James S. Sinclair’s death, the Synod Report of Proceedings (including Abstract of Accounts) occupied about 20 pages. Last year the space devoted to the Synod in the Magazine was over 70 pages. This was after the elimination, according to the Synod’s instructions, of items that were not of general interest, and did not include Reports of work done at the private meetings of Synod. It will thus be seen how greatly the Synod work has expanded and how the space required for reporting its proceedings has extended. To begin with, one Clerk was able to cope easily with the work; then two were appointed and these latterly were assisted by two shorthand writers, who render invaluable assistance to the Clerks. We mention these facts to our readers with the purpose of reminding them of matters to which they may never give a thought when they read the Synod reports in the Magazine. The strain laid on the Clerks in preparing these reports with all their other duties, can only be recognised fully by those who themselves have had similar experiences.
Official Synod Statement.—In view of statements made in some of the newspapers during the sitting of the Synod in Glasgow, the following official statement was read by the Clerk and issued to the Press:—
“The Synod had before them—(1) An appeal against the finding of the Northern Presbytery exonerating Inverness elders and Inverness Session from the charge made by Mr. MacQueen of violating their ordination vows. The Synod dismissed Mr. MacQueen’s appeal and affirmed the finding of the Northern Presbytery.
“And (2), the Synod dealt with the petition from the Rev. Ewen MacQueen relative to the action of the Northern Presbytery in treating as frivolous and disregarding the dissent and protest for leave to complain by Mr. MacQueen from the decision of the Presbytery to appoint a committee to examine the petition and relative documents presented by Miss J. Grant, Inverness.
“The decision of the Synod was as follows:—That the prayer of the petition be not granted; and in this connection the Synod would point out to Mr. MacQueen that the action of the Presbytery, in appointing a committee, was solely to examine documents, which was quite orderly procedure.
“The reference from the Northern Presbytery bringing up the petition from Miss Grant and an appeal by Mr. MacQueen against the action of the Presbytery in referring this matter to the Synod were considered. As this reference was not fully documented the Synod sent back the reference to the Presbytery to have that rectified.
“The matter of the Synod’s dealing with the above reference and appeal in the near future is still under discussion.”