Sabbath Golf for Inverness.
The Inverness Culcabock Golf Club, at a meeting last March, carried a motion to have the golf course open for play on the Lord’s Day by 82 votes to 26 votes. This was the seventh attempt, it has been stated, to come to such a sad and deplorable decision. The course was to be open for play on the Lord’s Day, the 4th of April, the first time in its history. And so the enemies of the Fourth Commandment have ultimately obtained their own carnal way in Inverness on this issue. And then, without in the least excusing the laxity in doctrine and practice on the part of some sections of the professing Christian Church in Scotland, it may well be that some of the golfing Sabbath breakers will view with a critical mind the empty Churches. All have one day to meet the Lord of the Sabbath.
Sobering Events during the Royal Tour.
During the tour of Her Majesty the Queen there have occurred quite a striking series of providences which were indeed fitted to give thought to discerning persons. In New Zealand there was the terrible railway train disaster with loss of life. Then in South Australia there was a typhoon which caused loss of life and much damage, then an earth tremor which made buildings to shake and people to flee from their homes in their night attire; and further a serious epidemic of infantile paralysis in Victoria, which required changes to be made in the arrangements for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh. These were among quite a number of outstanding reminders to the people of New Zealand and Australia to join trembling with their mirth. Whether they had this effect or not, we cannot say. But we do know that many serious-minded people at home took particular note of those events. God will not give His glory to another, and after due regard for expressions of loyalty and affection for our Queen, men must be careful of offending the Majesty of heaven by inordinate demonstrations of adoration for any human being. It was indeed welcome to learn that on the 16th of February, at a public function in honour of the Queen, the Rt. Hon. R. G. Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia, in closing a speech addressed to Her Majesty he quoted the words from Numbers, chapter vi., verses 23-26: “The Lord bless thee and keep thee: the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” Here, we are glad to say, was a public recognition of the Lord, and the need of His blessing by the occupant of the throne of Britain, expressed by a politician. We trust and pray that Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh will be carried safely over sea and land to the end of their world tour and arrive home soon on the shores of Britain with abundant reason to acknowledge the kindness and care of God, in providence, throughout these recent months.
Religious Presentation in Colombia.
The British secretary of what is called the World Presbyterian Alliance, Mr. W. S. Robertson, 23 Park Avenue, Hull, has sent us an extract from a bulletin of the news service of the Evangelical Confederation of Colombia, which gives authentic information of religious persecution of Protestants in that country. “The National Government of Colombia, by an Order of September 3rd, 1953, directed Departmental Governors to stop every form of non-Roman Catholic activity in 18 parts of the country designated as ‘Catholic Mission Territories.’ And 41 Protestant missionaries from abroad and 20 Colombian Protestant pastors are stationed within these territories. Protestants have 25 churches and chapels, an equal number of manses, a Bible Institute, 3 dispensaries, 12 cemeteries, and 25 primary day schools. All these are to be closed . . . Thousands of Protestant Christians will be abandoned . . . The Order constitutes a violation of the Colombian Constitution, Article 53 of which states:—The State guarantees liberty of conscience. No one shall be disturbed because of his religious opinions . . . Liberty is guaranteed to all worship which is not contrary to Christian morality or to the laws. It violates also the Declaration of Human Rights signed by Colombia’s representative in 1948.” We here have just given a brief extract of this news bulletin revealing the general operation of the persecution of Protestants in that part of the world. Here is a further brief extract applicable to a specific city:—”Fonseca, Magdalena. Order from the Mayor, dated November 3rd, 1953: To the members of the Protestant religion in this city—From this date you are absolutely prohibited from celebrating religious services anywhere within this municipality. The police are hereby ordered to report any violation of this order . . .” And so we in Protestant Britain would do well to lay these facts to heart. The Roman Catholic Church the bulwark against Communism! What a deception! What liberty have peace-loving and law-abiding Protestants in Colombia under the religious-political tyranny of Romish priests?