Witness Against Presbyterian Church of Canada.
In the Protestant Advocate of 25th November, 1948, there appears an account of the separation of the Westminster Congregation, Sydney, Nova Scotia, from the Presbyterian Church of Canada over alleged doctrinal differences. A statement issued following a largely attended congregational meeting on 22nd November, 1948, said:
“. . . it was unanimously resolved that the congregation sever its connection with the Presbyterian Church in Canada solely on the grounds that it permits teachings in its colleges that are at variance with the Word of God and the Westminster Confession of Faith, and because it refuses to take disciplinary action against certain ministers who deny the Virgin birth of our Lord and His subsequent death on the cross as an atonement for sin.
“And further, because it is a member of the World Council of Churches, a council headed and controlled by modernists, who disavow the historic Christian faith.
“And further, because budget money, given expressly for the support of our historic faith and its work, is being diverted to help support projects that are permeated with modernism.
“Westminster Church intends to remain Presbyterian and will co-operate with all Christian bodies who hold the verbal plenary inspiration of all the Scriptures, the Virgin birth of our Lord, His full and proper Deity, His bloodshed on the cross as the only atonement for sin, His physical resurrection from the dead, and His personal return to this earth.”
The present pastor of this congregation is a Dr. Alexander Murray. He apparently has taken a leading part in this decided step to witness for the doctrines of the Word of God and to expose modernism and heresy in the Presbyterian Church of Canada. We can fully endorse practically all the statement issued by his congregation with the exception of the reference to “Christ’s personal return to this earth.” But the stand taken for Truth in his case, is encouraging to read about. What a pity that many more would not be brought to see the danger of remaining in a corrupt denomination as to doctrine and practice. The Presbyterian Church of Canada and the Church of Scotland are permeated with false doctrine. The counsel of Scripture to those who have the grace of God in their hearts is, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you . . .” (II. Cor. vi. 17).
Archbishop of York and Crime.
After writing the article in this issue of the Magazine on “Abounding Iniquity,” reports have come to hand of a proposed State campaign against crime, called for by Dr. Garbett, the Archbishop of York. Dr. Garbett, in a leaflet published recently, refers to the fact that many people are angered and irritated by perpetual pilfering and crimes of violence, and that they are anxious that something should be done to check what is becoming a serious danger to the nation. He appears to concentrate his observations upon crimes against property and persons which curtail loss and physical injury. There is no reference to idolatry, which takes many forms to-day, to blasphemy or to Sabbath desecration, which are pre-eminent “crimes” against God and His divine honour. The Archbishop is concerned primarily, in his leaflet, with violations of the law of God which in their committal affect men adversely in their property and persons. Such breaches of the law of God we also strongly condemn. But Dr. Garbett calls for a State campaign to bring before the nation the extent of crime and to “show the fear and suspicion caused.” The end in view is to thereby reduce the present extent of crime. He gives as an argument for such a campaign—”There are masses of people now beyond the reach of the churches and who pay no attention to the claims of God. The State should do what the churches cannot do.” He admits that this would not turn a thief into an honest man; but suggests that a public campaign might attain a similar success to those for road safety, savings, and increased production in industry. The Archbishop proposes a remedy, which, to say the least of it, is superficial, insufficient and according to human wisdom. He desires the State to use propaganda in an endeavour to persuade multitudes to conform outwardly to rules of honesty, truthfulness and decent behaviour, without showing that crime, in the smallest degree, is morally wrong, but by stressing that the reduction of crime would save millions of pounds and avoid much human suffering. There is no place in this suggested campaign, for reminders to the nation that crime dishonours and provokes God to wrath, being transgression of His holy law. The substance of what the State is here being asked to do, is to tell the people that certain things when committed, mitigate against the temporal good and prosperity of the nation and should thus be refrained from. This is rationalistic in its essence; and a campaign by the State, as suggested, would but accentuate this. The duty of the State is to support the Christian Church when she (the Church) faithfully witnesses on the side of righteousness and against transgression of God’s law; but let that witness be fully consistent with the whole tenor of the teaching of the Scriptures.