The Aged Pilgrims’ Friend Society.
“Founded in the year 1807 by a group of young people associated with Whitefield’s Tabernacle in Moorfields, this society was, with others, the outcome of the great evangelical revival which has had so profound an influence upon the life and thought of our nation, and its basis is, as was the revival, evangelical in the fullest Reformation sense. That basis is the Rock of Holy Scripture.” Above is quoted from the Annual Report of the Society for 1951. Eight homes for Aged Pilgrims are provided, with accommodation for two hundred pensioners. The Trust Deed of the Society embodies within it the fundamental truths of Divine Revelations: “That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the only Rule of Faith and Practice; the Unity of God in three co-equal and co-eternal Persons—the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost; the essential Divinity and sinless Humanity of Jesus Christ, as God, Man, Mediator; the Godhead and Personality of the Holy Ghost; the Fall of man by sin; the Efficacious Grace of God; Redemption by Jesus Christ and justification by His Blood and Righteousness; Regeneration and Sanctification by the Holy Spirit; the final Perseverance of the Saints; the General Resurrection and Judgment of all men, the eternal bliss of saints and the everlasting punishment of the wicked.” The Society requires a considerable nursing and domestic staff to meet the requirements of its homes. Our chief reason for drawing attention to the Society in the pages of the Magazine is that there may be qualified nurses and domestic workers in our church who would welcome the opportunity of serving under such a Society, where the Word of God is held in such high esteem by all concerned, and where, as far as human judgment on a Scriptural basis can go, the graciousness of each patient is proved before admission, and the homes are pervaded by a Christian atmosphere, and where work of a most useful and helpful kind is being carried on. Any interested should write for further particulars to the Secretary, F. Naylor, Esq., Aged Pilgrims’ Friend Society, St. Paul’s Chambers, 19 Ludgate Hill, London, E.C.4.
The Roman Catholic Menace.
Considerable public interest has been aroused by the discussion in the Assembly of the Church of Scotland on the question of the “Roman Catholic Menace in Scotland.” Roman Catholic papers like the “Glasgow Observer and Scottish Catholic Herald,” have tried to rebut the charges, and to allay any Protestant fears which may have been aroused. Nevertheless that the menace is only too real and serious ample proof is afforded by happenings in Glasgow in recent weeks. During part of the month of June last the Corporation-owned Kelvin Hall has been taken over by the Roman Catholic authorities for the purpose of holding a public exhibition of purely Roman Catholic interest and appeal. No doubt the whole conception and arrangement has been designed for purposes of Roman Catholic propaganda. The following from the “Glasgow Evening Citizen” of June 23rd will indicate how very real the danger is, “There were nearly 200,000 visitors to the week’s ‘Catholic Vocations Exhibition,’ which ended last night in the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow. Peak attendance was yesterday’s 40,000, including 12,000 at Pontifical High Mass, celebrated by the Most Rev. Donald Campbell, Archbishop of Glasgow.”
Glasgow’s Purchase of Offensive Picture.
Judging by press correspondence considerable interest and difference of opinion exists in the propriety of Glasgow Corporation’s purchase of a painting purporting to depict the crucifixion by Salvadoro Dali, a modern artist. Some writers justify, others condemn the purchase. Our views in the matter are embodied in the following protest sent to the Lord Provost of Glasgow by the Southern Presbytery:—
1st July, 1952.
Gentlemen,—At a recent meeting of the above Presbytery attention was drawn to the fact that the Corporation of Glasgow had purchased the picture which is supposed to be a representation of the Crucifixion by Salvador Dali.
The Presbytery vigorously protest against this action because in the judgment of the Presbytery (1) The subject of our Lord’s death on the Cross is altogether too sacred for pictorial representation; (2) such pictures as have been painted dealing with the subject, whatever their artistic merit, invariably savour of Roman Catholic superstition; (3) the hanging of such a picture in a public place will (a) encourage idolatrous worship in the hearts of the ignorant and superstitious who may gaze at it, and (b) it will pain and shock the religious susceptibilities of all pious Protestants; (4) the money expended could have been used to better purpose, and (5) the whole business is blasphemous and a reproach to the City, the Corporation and the citizens of Glasgow.
Yours faithfully,
JAMES A. TALLACH.