THE following paragraphs appeared in the Scotsman (Edinburgh), 18th October:—“The Church of Scotland’s new cinema and theatre in Elm Row, Edinburgh, was opened yesterday amid the good wishes of representatives of the Church, the State, the city, and the film industry.
‘We hope to show films that will be just a little different,’ said the Rev. Dr. W. White Anderson, convener of the Church of Scotland Home Board, who presided. They would not be purely religious films, and they would be entertaining and of a high moral tone. He expressed the thanks of the Church to the donor, Mr. A. G. Anderson, of Edinburgh, whose gift also consisted of a community centre for youth. In declaring ‘The Gateway’ open, Mr. Joseph Westwood, M.P., Secretary of State for Scotland, welcomed the venture as a sign that the Church, whose attitude to the film industry had at one time been negative rather than constructive, was not afraid to grasp an opportunity of using the stage and screen for its own purposes. It had noted the shortcomings of the cinema, he said, without adapting for its own needs the advantages of this great popular medium. The film was what one made it, superficial or deep, according to the purposes one served and the inspiration with which one served them. The Very Rev. A. J. Campbell, who represented the Moderator, wished them God-speed on behalf of the Church of Scotland, and emphasised that the experiment was being watched with interest all over Scotland. Lord Provost Sir John Falconer said that the cinema might be an instrument of real social advancement if the Church could direct public taste and desire to a drama and a literature which was stimulating, elevating, and cleansing. Mr. A. S. Albin, of the Cinematograph Exhibitors’ Association, offered the support of the East of Scotland section of which he is chairman. The Rev. George Candlish is to be director of ‘The Gateway,’ and the manager is Miss Sadie R. Aitken.”
It is not so long ago that the Glasgow Presbytery of the Church of Scotland began its “Open Door” experiment which is being followed in other places. Now we have this new development of the ‘Gateway.’ Where is the Church of Scotland heading for? Was it for such things as these the Church of Scotland received her great financial endowments?
Notes and Comments.
Hero Worship
In recent weeks in certain ecclesiastical circles in Scotland, there has been a good deal of hero-worship. The hero of the highly laudatory speeches is the late Prof. Robertson Smith, who was relieved of his chair in Aberdeen Free Church College for teaching doctrines at variance with the creed of the Free Church. His suspension from teaching by the General Assembly is spoken of as a tragedy. The real tragedy, however, was that Prof. Smith ever had a chair in the Free Church to spread the infidel teaching of the German Higher Critics on the Old Testament Scriptures. Things have come to a low estate in Scotland when the man who did more than any other to spread the teaching of the German critics is made the object of hero-worship. A man of undoubted ability, of which he was quite conscious himself, he gave no end of trouble arguing over little points of procedure while the real cause of all the trouble was not defects in procedure but in the new teaching on the Old Testament Scriptures. It would appear that a sure way of attaining to eminence or, more correctly, notoriety, is to call in question doctrines which were long held by the Church, and if there is added to this ability above the average, the way seems clear to a high pinnacle of eminence in the opinion of not a few. It is anything but an encouraging sign of the times when a man who did so much in introducing the new views into Scotland should be so highly lauded after over 67 years since the General Assembly passed sentence of suspension from teaching on him.
Adrift
Would the lady from Raasay who ordered this book from the Editor some months ago when it was out of print, please communicate with him as the book has now been reprinted and a copy may be had?
Held over
A number of articles, obituaries, Church Notes, and Notes and Comments have been held over for lack of space.
Church Notes.
Communions
January: last Sabbath, Inverness. February: 1st Sabbath, Dingwall; 3rd Sabbath, Stornoway; 4th Sabbath, Bayhead and North Uist. March: 1st Sabbath, Ullapool; 2nd Sabbath, Portree; 3rd Sabbath, Finsbay; 4th Sabbath, Kinlochbervie and North Tolsta. April: 1st Sabbath, Stoer, Portnalong and Breasclete; 2nd Sabbath, Fort William; 3rd Sabbath, Greenock; 4th Sabbath, Glasgow; last Sabbath, Wick. May: 1st Sabbath, Kames and Oban.
Dutch Relief Fund
This Fund is now closed. There was a splendid response to the Appeal as will be seen when the list of contributions is published.
Note
Any changes or additions to the above dates of Communions should be sent to the Editor.