THE Church Gazette is the organ of the National Church League. In its issue for March-April (1942) an important and informative article appears, entitled “Are We Blind?” It begins by telling that Mr. W. F. Ogilvie, Director of the B.B.C. (a Presbyterian from Northern Ireland) had ceased to occupy that post, and that Sir Cecil Graves had been appointed along with Mr. Foote as joint-directors of the B.B.C. “It was stated,” the article says, “that Sir Cecil Graves would be responsible for directing the policy of the B.B.C. in future.” “Sir Cecil Graves is now a Roman Catholic although he has not always been one.” “We understand,” says the article, “that Mr. Brendan Bracken, the Minister of Information, is a Roman Catholic.” We reprint the latter part of this article so that our readers may see for themselves what remarkable power and influence Romanists are exercising in our professedly Protestant Empire, as well as in other parts of the world. The latter portion of the article is as follows:—”The Roman Catholic position is very simple and has been emphasised by Romanists time and again, and is contained for us in The Papal Encyclical of June, 11th, 1905, which demands ‘the public recognition of the authority of the (Roman) Church in all matters relating in any way to conscience, the subordination of all State laws to the divine law of the gospel, and the harmony of the two powers, civil and ecclesiastical.’ If this means anything, it means that Sir Cecil Graves’ first loyalty as a Roman Catholic is to the Pope and not to the King. Pope Gregory XVI. said on August 15th., 1832:—’If the Holy Church so requires, let us sacrifice our own opinions, our knowledge, our intelligence, the splendid dreams of our imagination, and the most sublime attainments of the human understanding.’ That being so, a Roman Catholic in public life may be merely the mouthpiece of his church. For years, when Roman Catholicism has been criticised our easy-going appeasers in England have ridiculed the idea of the Roman Church being in any way antagonistic to the Empire. Surely this War must have opened their eyes to the danger if they are not blind, just as Japan’s attack on America opened the eyes of the Isolationists there. For what are the facts? Many could be given, but space prevents more than a few. Southern Ireland is predominantly Roman Catholic and is the only part of the British Empire which did not respond when the Mother Country was assailed. Northern Ireland was keen to have conscription, but the opposition from the Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland prevented this being done. In Canada, it is
notorious that it is Roman Catholic Quebec which has been, and is, fighting and opposing conscription in that country (see The Times’ leading article, 2nd February, 1942), while in 1939, Ontario voted 78-0 in favour of support to Britain if the crisis led to war, nine French Roman Catholic Societies of Quebec sent a joint telegram to Premier King saying:— ‘The entire population of Quebec (i.e., the French R.C. population) absolutely opposed to Canada’s participation in foreign War.’ In the Ontario legislature a French Roman Catholic demanded that editors of publications criticising the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope should be interned for their efforts to upset Canadian unity. An R.C. Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons demanded that Dr. Shields, a Baptist minister of Toronto, should be silenced officially for exposing the baneful influence of the Quebec Hierarchy. Houde, Mayor of Montreal, urged non-registration of Quebec citizens and was interned.
The Roman Catholics in Australia united to prevent conscription for overseas forces, and are now crying out that England has not defended them better. Vichy France, Roman Catholic to a man, has been treacherous in her dealings with England. The critical position in which we find ourselves to-day in the East is due largely to the Vichy Roman Catholic Government. Let us remember that the Vichy regime has the Papal blessing. In the U.S.A. the leaders of Isolationism and fermentors of strife and strikes in order to hamper American efforts to help England, were frankly Roman Catholic. The trade unionists in Australia realized this, as a statement in The Australian Church Record of October last quotes a statement by a trade unionist that ‘We fight not only Capitalism but the Roman Catholic Actionists in the Trade Union Movement. . . the unionists are beginning to wake up to the very unfair ‘squeezing-out’ methods of the Roman Church. . . For long she has tried to win her way by ‘perversion’—but her numbers do not increase; now she has definitely determined to win through by working her way through her lay people into strategic positions, and gradually ousting non-Romans. More and more our Public Services, including our railway departments, are being brought under Roman control. . . in our public schools, designated “God-less” by the priests of the Roman persuasion, the percentage of Roman teachers is said to be growing out of all proportion to the number of Roman children taught in Government schools’.
It is amazing how Roman Catholics ‘accidentally’ find themselves in positions of trust and secrecy. The Editor of The Radio Times a few years ago was a Roman Catholic, and we have heard of no change being made. It is common knowledge that R.C.’s largely dominate the Foreign Office. It is rumoured that the Prime Minister’s Private Secretary, and certainly Mr. Roosevelt’s Private Secretary, are both Roman Catholic. Strange coincidences, which probably only Rome can explain. Our tolerant English people are no doubt saying, ‘But what matter if this is so, we are fighting for liberty and freedom and the principles of righteousness.’ The answer is simple, ‘In Abyssinia as soon as the Romanist Italian forces got control, every Protestant missionary was driven out and not allowed to re-enter that land. Freedom thus being destroyed.’ Roman Catholic General Franco with the aid of the Italian and German Legionaries won the Spanish Civil War, and as a result 300 Protestant places of worship
in Spain are now reduced to ten. Nearly all Protestant “Sunday” schools are closed, and the Ministry of Education writes.—’We must be absolutely intolerant to ideas and views that are contrary to the Roman Catholic Church.’ Freedom indeed! Bibles of the Bible Society have been confiscated. The President of the Madrid Y.M.C.A. was sentenced to thirty years imprisonment for his religious convictions. A shipment of 110,000 Bibles and Gospels sent by the British and Foreign Bible Society to Spain were confiscated and converted into cellulose. In Canada, in the Province of Quebec, Bibles and Religious Tracts may not be distributed.
It may not be generally known that the Roman Church even to-day is very sympathetic to Japan. As late as April, 1941, after all the Japanese atrocities in China the Pope was able to say to the Japanese Foreign Minister:—’I have sent my Apostolic Blessing to your dear, far off country.’ The Pope “blessed” Matsuoka, said he was a great statesman and pinned a medal on him. We could write much more. Hitler himself, originator of all present-day troubles is a baptised Romanist, so is Goebbels, so is Goering, so is Mussolini, so is Petain, so is Von Papen, so is Darlan, so is Laval, so is General Weygand. Last, but not least, so is the notorious Haw Haw, the renegade Englishman educated by the Jesuits in the Jesuit College, Dublin. Remarkable coincidences! In the light of the above, are we unreasonable in demanding that Sir Cecil Graves and all other Roman Catholics in positions of authority in the B.B.C. shall go, failing which Englishmen will refuse to pay another single licence towards the work of that mighty organisation. When we realize that our brothers and sons and husbands and fathers have lost their lives and are hazarding their lives needlessly, because of Roman Catholic refusal to grant us the use of the Irish ports, because of Roman Catholic betrayal of Indo-China, and because of the obvious connivance of official Romanism with all the horrors of to-day, we may well ask, ‘Are we blind or just mad?'”—Gospel Magazine (May-June, 1942).
The late Alexander Macaskill, Missionary, Borve, Portree.
THE sudden death of Mr. Macaskill in January last came as a shock to many. He appeared to be quite well and healthy when after a few hours illness he passed away. In his infinite wisdom God sees fit to remove some of His witnesses in this manner when it looks as if they had many years of service in His vineyard before them in the world.
He was born in Kildonan, Lynedale, Skye, in 1878 and was the youngest son in a large family of sons and daughters. We understand that he was brought up under christian influences but more than that was necessary to make him a real believer and God’s Word began to deal savagely with him when a young man. The opening words of the sixth psalm were blessed to his soul and the Saviour was made precious to him.
In 1913 he became a member in Portree Congregation. Prior to this he was for some time in the United States working at his trade as a mason and after returning to this country he continued in that employment for some years.
Being a gifted speaker he was appointed missionary to various places and finally acted in that capacity in the Glenmore, Glenhinisdale and Kensaleyre districts of Skye.
For several years he served as an elder in Portree Congregation and discharged the duties of his office with zeal and faithfulness.
When speaking at fellowship meetings he could blend the doctrinal and experimental in the life of grace skilfully and in an edifying manner. He spoke with use and fluency manifesting at the same time both sound judgment and spiritual insight. It was evident that the Gospel was to him the power of God unto salvation. He knew himself as a needy sinner whose only hope was in almighty and gracious Saviour.
Being possessed of a clear musical voice he was helpful in leading the praise in ordinary worship but especially at communion services.
His loyalty to the church was outstanding. He loved its testimony and its principles for which he witnessed zealously and unswervingly to the end. He had no confidence in waverers or in any who, by ‘open or underhand attacks endeavoured to weaken its position and influence.
On the night he became ill he conducted family worship as usual singing the tune “Stornoway” of which he was very fond. One of his daughters said she never heard him sing sweeter. When about to retire he felt sick and rapidly became worse, suffering great pain. He told his family it was the end and remarked how terrible his condition would be if he had neglected the salvation of his soul till then. In a few hours after his illness started he had entered into the joy of his Lord.
We extend our heart felt sympathy to his widow and family and our desire is that they may all be bound up in the bundle of life in Christ Jesus. D. M. M.
John Macaulay, Applecross.
JOHN Macaulay was a native of Lochalsh, being born at Duirinish in that parish a few years later than the middle of last century. His parents enjoyed the privilege of attending the ministry of the Rev. Alex. Macdonald, a man of outstanding power and worth, who for many years was the minister of Plockton, about 4 miles distant. The scene of this earnest man’s labours extended far beyond his own parish till his vigorous and arresting manner of presenting the gospel attracted to his church from far and near crowds of old and young thirsting for the word of life. Often at communion seasons, he had the help of Dr. Macdonald, Ferntosh and the saintly Mr. Kennedy, Redcastle, and these were times of refreshing when as many as twelve and fourteen thousand hung upon their lips. As was the case in so many parts of the country a few years before the Disruption, Plockton became the centre of a religious awakening, which bore permanent fruit, and prepared the way for the remarkable movement that followed, which holds such a noble place in the history of the Scottish Church. The Disruption has been likened to an exodus, and nowhere was this more true than in the Highlands, where the entire population with few exceptions ‘came out.’ Mr. Macdonald with his people almost
to a man severed their connection with the State Church and formed the first Disruption Free Church at Plockton. John Macaulay’s parents followed their minister, and although neither of them made any public profession, his mother was regarded at any rate by many as having the Lord’s fear implanted in her.
It would be strange indeed if such influences as these, however remotely, did not affect John Macaulay, but until he became a youth and had left home, there is nothing to indicate that he was anything more than an upright, respected lad, having a healthy regard for the religion of the home. How, or by what means, God was pleased to begin a work of grace upon his soul is not clear, but it evidently was while away from home working as a herdsman with a family in Lewis. When he was aroused by a conviction of his sins, and a sense of the wrath of God, the only relief he found was in constant secret prayer. There followed a time of mental darkness and spiritual anguish, such as he himself did not care to dwell upon afterwards. But the hearer of prayer did not forsake him, and although no human instrumentality was employed, the written word itself was used to bring comfort and peace to his afflicted spirit. He could say with the Apostle in a like case, that the gospel which was preached to him was neither of man nor was he taught it by man. He used to relate an incident that befel him amidst the wilds of that district of Lewis, about this time. When out in search of some lambs one evening, a heavy mist overtook him among the hills, which completely blotted out the surrounding countryside. He felt that he would have to spend the night in the open, and in despair lifted up his heart to the Lord. The words came to him, “Promotion cometh neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south,” Ps. lxxv, 6, and with them he caught a glimpse of the sun’s ray through a rift in the mist sufficient to give him a sense of direction. Striking out in a northerly direction, he came across a familiar path and was soon in safety.
On his return home, the change which had taken place was marked, for a happy seriousness now characterised him and great earnestness was evident in all he did. Where sin and death had reigned, now grace had begun to reign which would be unto eternal life. He began to attend the ministry of Rev. Alex. MacColl, at Lochalsh, and to one who had experienced such deep and protracted spiritual trouble, such a ministry was specially suited. Of the Rev. Robt. Finlayson, Lewis and Helmsdale, it is said, that he was more at home preaching on the Prodigal Son than expounding the 9th chap. of the Epistle to the Romans, but to Mr. MacColl this epistle was a constant delight, and as he used to say himself, the 8th chap. was his favourite chap. in the whole Bible. The clearness and accuracy, with which Mr. MacColl unfolded the mysteries of the gospel, and his careful application of the doctrines to the every day life of the believer were just what a young believer needed most to establish him in the faith. The influence of his faithful ministry over John was lifelong, and he would often recall some of Mr. MacColl’s more impressive sayings. On one occasion, Mr. MacColl was preaching on the young man who came to Christ, and when asked to keep the commandments, said, “All these have I kept from my youth,” upon which Mr. MacColl exclaimed, “The fool, he knew nothing of the spirituality of the law.” John would rise early on the Sabbath morning and cross the hills to be in his accus-
tomed place in the Lochalsh Church, and very often that day would be to him a high day. He often referred to the text, and to Mr. MacColl’s sermon upon it, “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” “What,” asked the preacher, “is the face of Jesus Christ?” “It is the Person,” he went on, “All the fulness of the Second Person of the Godhead in all the fulness of His saving work.” Among the crowds that resorted to this eminent preacher, John met his future wife.
His work as a stone-mason and latterly as a missionary, took him to many parts of the country, where he made the acquaintance of many of the Lord’s people. While at Fortwilliam, by this time happily married, he attended the ministry of the Rev. Don. Macfarlane, then minister of Kilmallie. The innovations in doctrine and worship, which were yearly being introduced into the church, were already causing fears for the future of the Free Church. When the Declaratory Act of 1892, which embodied the worst of these, was passed by the assembly of that year, the long dreaded secession became inevitable. All John Macaulay’s sympathies lay with Mr. Macfarlane in the attitude he adopted, and regretfully he withdrew with him the following year, and threw in his lot with the Free Presbyterian Church. He suffered for his beliefs in many ways, though not so severely as the ministers, but faithfully continued as elder and missionary to uphold the cause which the church represented. Later, on his retiring from his worldly work, he became a missionary of the church, and took up his abode at Applecross, where he ended his days.
John Macaulay’s removal from this earthly scene to the presence of Him whom he loved and served, has deprived the church of a true friend. He seemed to us to have naturally a clear, sound mind, quick to detect error and sober in his views of the truth. He used to lament in his latter days his lack of education, and up to the time of his last illness, we often came across him with an English divine in his hand, but, he reflected deeply upon the grand doctrines of the gospel, and may be said to have improved and educated his own mind. To strangers, at first meeting he may have appeared gruff and unsocial, but it was merely his way of trying his new acquaintances, his keen, humorous eye quickly judged their characters. He invariably expressed himself strongly on the corruptions of the human heart, for in his early days the views he had been permitted to obtain of himself almost distracted his mind, but with them he obtained such a sight of the unsearchable riches of divine grace, as revealed in the saving work of Christ and the state of the saints in heaven has often carried him beyond himself. His faith might be put in the words of the apostle, “For I through the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God.” He loved the gospel and was ardently attached to the church, which he rejoiced to acknowledge upheld the doctrines of truth in her pulpits and courts.
In the end of 1940, he became ill but still came to the house of God, although it was evident that he was far from being well. Before January, 1941 was out he was quite confined to his room and never left it till he was removed to that place “where the weary are at rest.” For such an active man, he was remarkably resigned, and so quickly appreciatively of every little attention shown him by his devoted wife and daughters. The
Sabbath before the end, his wife read to him sermon after sermon from Rev. Mr. Macfarlane’s published sermons, which recalled his earlier days. The end came quietly and suddenly on the afternoon of Tuesday, 4th February, when without a word or even a sigh he closed his eyes, and his ransomed spirit passed within the vail. On a stormy morning, his mortal remains were laid to rest in the ancient Applecross graveyard, not far from the resting place of the Rev. D. Macdonald, once minister of Shieldaig, and close to the dust of the earliest Christian missionary to visit these shores, Maelrubha. We extend our sympathy to his daughters at home and abroad. His widow after a short bereavement has since joined him, and is now united with him in the praises of the lamb in their father’s house. The memory of the just is blessed, and the graciousness of the Lord’s dealings with this loveable and worthy man will ensure that our friend will be held in everlasting remembrance.—A. F. M.