As might be Expected.—The attempts to get rid of the Sabbath take many forms but it was reserved for a Roman Catholic priest in London to adopt a new method of filling the church’s coffers. It was advertised as follows: “Grand Derby Draw, to be run at Newmarket, June 13th. Winner—£5; second—£3; third—£1; all other runners, 5/-. Tickets 9d. each. Drawing at the above address on Sunday, June 7th, at 7.30 p.m. Result sheets to sellers and all winners.” Notwithstanding the ingenuity of the priest his efforts came to an inglorious end. The Lord’s Day Observance Society got into touch with the Commissioner of Police, New Scotland Yard, London, and the “Grand Derby Draw” never materialised.
Sabbath in H.M. Forces.—Another important matter, says the Lord’s Day Magazine, which has engaged our attention has been the lack of “Sunday” facilities allowed to men in certain Army Training Camps. We have submitted evidence to the War Office concerning one Army Battalion in Scotland where no opportunities whatever were afforded on “Sundays” for attendance at Divine Worship, “Sunday” being regarded as a “full working day.” We are able to report, however, that following our representations the men in this Battalion are now allowed opportunities to attend a Place of Worship between 7 and 9 each “Sunday” morning; a Religious Service is now held every “Sunday” in the Camp; and in addition one entire “Sunday” a month is now allowed as a Rest-Day. These provisions—although a decided improvement on the previous arrangements—are in our opinion inadequate, and we shall not cease to urge that more free “Sundays” be allowed to men in Training in order that they may have the needed opportunities to join in the public worship and praise of Almighty God.
The Rationalistic Press Association.—We have already called our readers’ attention to the activities of this Association. It is responsible for the publication of books written in a popular style with strong rationalistic tendencies. These books are issued at a cheap rate and bear the imprint of the firm of Watts & Co., 5 and 6 Johnson’s Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.4. At present we have noticed some of the railway bookstalls crowded with literature published by this firm. We think it necessary to issue this warning as we know of some who have been misled by some of the literature issued by the Rationalistic Press Association.
Roman Catholics in Office, etc.—The Churchman’s Magazine for October gives the following list of Roman Catholics in office:—Allden, Eric, C.B.E., Hon. Attache Diplomatic Service*; Beales, A. C. F., Lecturer in Education, King’s College, London; Burgess, C. L., Clerk of Peace, London Sessions; Boyd, John McLellan, Ministry of Supply; Copland-Griffiths, Hon. Mrs., Lady Supt. in Chief, St. John’s Ambulance Brigade Overseas; Crean, Sir B. A., Chief Justice British Guiana*; Craig, Col., Hon. Attache, Copenhagen Legation*; Dalton, Sir J. C. J., Fuel and Power Controller, London and S.W. Region; Drake, Mr. Millington, British Min. Monte Video*; Edwards, W. J., new M.P. for Whitechapel (Lab.); Fiset, Sir Major J. E., Lt.-Govr. of Quebec; Fryer, Capt. F. Shaw, Staff of one of the Service Mins.; Gower, Pauline, Officer in Charge, Women’s Sec. Air Transport Auxiliary; Gregg Sir C., Chairman Board of Inland Revenue; Herlihy, Gerald, Reuter’s Lobby Correspondent, House of Commons; Hood, Sir Harold, Public Relations Officer to an A.A. Division; Laithwaite, Sir G., K.C.S.I., Civil Service; McCann, Sir C. F. G., Trade Commission Agent for S. Australia.*; O’Halloran, Mr. H., Director Petroleum, Ministry of Fuel and Power; Pocock, Leslie, Legal Advisor to Customs; Page, Leo, Sec. of Commission of the Peace to the Lord Chancellor; Sullivan, Bernard, L.C.C., Chairman Public Assistance Committee; Waters, Lt-Col. J. Dallas, C.B., D.S.O., Registrar of the Privy Council. Archbishop Langevin, Head of the Roman Catholic Church in Western Canada, said, during the last war: “The first authority in the world is the Pope. We are loyal to the King but the Pope comes first.”
* Names marked with an asterisk indicate connection with the Foreign Office.
A Fine Protest.—An appeal on behalf of a large number of Naval ratings under training at H.M.S. Collingwood has been made to the Rt. Hon. W. H. Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty, concerning the compulsory assembly to listen to Cardinal Hinsley on a recent occasion. It appears that the Archbishop was dressed in his official robes with his cardinal’s hat, and many of the 4,000 men objected to the fact that they were called together as a general assembly by bugle from which no one could absent himself without breach of discipline. Of the 4,000 men called together it was estimated that only some 200 to 250 were Roman Catholics. The contention is that such an occasion should be purely optional. The Secretary of the Admiralty has acknowledged receipt of the communication which is receiving attention. Churchman’s Magazine.