By REV. DONALD BEATON.
The term Voluntaryism in its ecclesiastical sense requires a word or two of explanation. The late Dr. James Kerr, in a letter to the Scotsman (Edinburgh), October, 1905, thus explains it:—”Here are some of the definitions of Voluntaryism in its ecclesiastical sense—’The relation of civil government to Christianity really consists in having no relation at all’; ‘The province of the civil ruler about religion is to have no province at all’; ‘Religion is none of the concerns of government’; ‘The duty of the Civil Magistrate to religion is to let it alone.’ And the late Professor Eadie said that—’the best legislation on the subject of religion is to repeal all previous legislation on the subject.’ Apply this principle to the British Constitution and Administration and the Imperial policy, and, at one fell blow, all references to Christianity in them must be instantly demolished. The Protestant succession to the throne must be abolished, the Bible must be expelled from the national schools, prayers in Parliament and at Courts of Assize must end, and all laws in favour of the Lord’s Day must be repealed. In short, in obedience to the demands of Voluntaryism, the whole laws and policy of the British Empire must be so fashioned and conducted that they would not show whether the God of the Mohammedan or the God of the Christian was the Governor and King of the nations. Voluntaryism bolts the door of all public institutions against the entrance of the universal Lord. It is thus more Erastian than the Erastianism against which it is continually protesting. Thus imperiously Voluntaryism will thrust God out of the rulership of part of His own dominions and require the nation as such to conduct its affairs without any recognition of Him.” (Memorial Volume to the Rev. James Kerr, D.D., pp. 117-8.)
For a brief historical account of the Voluntary Controversy in Scotland see Dr. Bannerman’s The Church of Christ, Vol. I, pp. 354-360, and Dr. Henry Cooke’s Life for references to the controversy in the Irish Presbyterian Church. Dr. Cooke did yeoman service to his Church in this controversy as well as in the Arian which nearly swamped the Synod of Ulster.