Roman Catholic Church in German Politics.
A special correspondent to The Scotsman recently wrote on the coming general elections in West Germany. The two main parties seeking power are the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats. He revealed that the Roman Catholic Church has strongly engaged on behalf of the Christian Democrats, that is Adenauer’s party, and that several R.C. bishops have come out with authoritative statements that no Roman Catholic could vote Social Democrat and that Roman Catholics would have to account to God for the way they cast their votes. Many Protestants belong to the Christian Democrats and the fear is expressed that if this party is stamped as Papist, it may cause resentment on the part of Protestants who might withdraw their votes from this party. If Dr. Adenauer is working for the Pope, like Hitler and the late Italian dictator, then let him lose votes, and let the political activities of the Vatican in West Germany be frustrated and overthrown.
The Scottish Reformation Society.
We referred in a recent issue to the wholly unsatisfactory part which Dr. W. J. Baxter, D.D., President of the Scottish Reformation Society, took in the debate on “Bishops in Presbytery” in the Church of Scotland Assembly last May. We have had since then the July-August issue of The Bulwark, the journal on behalf of Reformation principles, issued by the said Society, and also the Annual Report of the Society for 1956-1957. In these two issues we can find no reference whatever to the Report on Church Inter-Relations, which proposes Bishops in Presbytery for the professed Presbyterian Church of Scotland. The silence on the subject is astounding to us. How periodicals issued by a society professing to stand for Reformation principles in Scotland dare ignore a matter which has affected the people of Scotland so deeply in recent times is beyond our comprehension. Let us quote from the present Annual Report of the Society as follows: “Protestants everywhere would do well to heed the command, ‘Awake thou that sleepest.’ It is to this end that the Society exists. Its purpose is to arouse those of the Reformed faith from their apathy, and to remind them of the urgency for action.” To us, this statement is amusing and sad; it is so out of tune with the Society’s attitude to urgent matters of an up-to-date and serious nature. This Reformation Society of Scotland is itself “in a dead sleep cast” when it has no clarion call to Scotland and the people of the Church of Scotland to resist and reject now and presently any suggestion whatever as to the introduction of Bishops into the aforesaid Church of Scotland. Surely this is a movement of Episcopacy that any Scottish Reformation Society worth the name would rise up and resist and expose with all the means at its disposal? But no! Complete silence on the subject! And what is the explanation of their conspiracy of silence on the part of ministers and laymen connected with this Society? We suggest one, viz. That many of them, like Dr. Baxter, belong to the Church of Scotland and are prepared to abandon in practice, at this present time, much that they and their Society profess to stand for Reformation principles, in deference to their Church leaders who are prepared to join hands with the Archbishop of Canterbury, who in his turn is ready and willing to welcome the Pope. And one final word. The opening articles in The Bulwark, by its editor, are consistently devoid of any subject matter which would further Protestantism or edify readers in a spiritual manner. We do not make this observation from a carping spirit, but from the reactions of a regular perusal of The Bulwark.
Words of Wisdom from Medical Men.
The British Medical Association Conference took place at Newcastle-on-Tyne during last July. The trouble of high blood pressure was one subject of this discussion. Dr. Cooper proposed that people with high blood pressure should be told “Live a godly, righteous and sober life and seek tranquility not in drugs but in a practical philosophy.” Then Dr. Hunt said that religious faith, which this generation had largely thrown over, had produced greater tranquility than any drug. We felt it refreshing to the mind to read such statements from members of the medical profession, as it might well be that some afflicted persons would be influenced to turn from even a lawful use of drugs to the doctrine and faith of the gospel of Christ. Was it not Jesus who said, “Peace, be still, and there was a great calm”? Here is the medicine which many a poor, afflicted sinner needs.
Professor Gilbert Murray’s Death and Funeral.
Professor Gilbert Murray, the eminent scholar, who recently died at Oxford, was during his lifetime an agnostic and expressed in his will a wish to be cremated. When he died a Roman Catholic priest of Oxford claimed that he helped to have Dr. Murray admitted to the Roman Catholic Church and that he gave him what they call Extreme Unction when he died. So here the Roman Catholics claim the great scholar as a propaganda action. Then the professor’s son, Mr. Stephen Murray, barrister, declared that he knew nothing of his father’s conversion to the Roman Catholic Church. He said: “It is my view that he was in a comatose state at the material time.” I have no reason to believe that my father died other than he lived—an agnostic.” This is a sad statement for any son to make regarding a father, yet it appears to be true, irrespective of priestly claims. Then the Dean of Westminster Abbey still gave permission for Professor G. Murray to be buried in the Abbey, on July 5th. And so the great scholar in his death is associated with agnosticism, Roman Catholicism and the Church of England. But we must be associated vitally and in faith with Christ Jesus if we are to enter into rest in the great Eternity. “The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.”
Conservatives to use the Sunday Press.
It was reported last June that an advertising campaign in certain “Sunday” newspapers was to be launched by the Conservative Party. Eight papers were selected because it was assessed that they reach eighty per cent. of the population over the age of 16 years. It used to be understood that the Conservative Party endeavoured to refrain from political public activities on the Lord’s Day as to meetings, etc. But this advertising campaign is truly a launching out into violation of the divine law, the Sabbath being a day for spiritual and moral activities. “Sunday” papers and those who support them, are operating to the destruction of the observance of God’s holy day. The Conservative Party will certainly not benefit by such a campaign, but will incur the divine displeasure.
An Ecclesiastic of Ruthless Technique.
It will surprise Free Presbyterians that the late beloved Rev. Neil Cameron, Glasgow, appears to be referred to and described in the July, 1957, issue of the Free Church Monthly Record, in the following uncalled-for manner, in an editorial note: “There is in Scotland a deep-seated fear of the ecclesiastic, and no denomination is immune from his subtle policies and domineering tactics. He thrives on the most meagre soil. Some twenty years back we had in Scotland the smallest denomination of all overrun and overlorded by an ecclesiastic of iron will and ruthless technique. Every church has to assert itself to keep the dictator at bay, under whatever guise he comes.” As one who is now among the oldest ministers of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, if not as regards ordination, at least as regards his years, and as one who knew the uncompromisingly faithful Rev. Neil Cameron intimately, I have no hesitation in describing the Free Church editor’s language as unfounded, and carnal. Of course, it is difficult for an ecclesiastic who is as much at home among the Arminian antinomian Keswick Convention people, as he is among the people of the Calvinistic Sovereign Grace Union, to understand and appreciate uncompromising fidelity and consistent loyalty to ordination vows. He must needs, therefore, snarl at such a precious gracious virtue in one who was known for piety and godliness.
A well-known godly man in his day, Mr. Allan MacPherson, the last evening he was on earth, before entering glory, declared concerning Rev. Neil Cameron, who had not at that time begun studying for the ministry, that “that young man (Rev. Neil Cameron) will stand faithful to the Cause of Christ in Scotland when many ministers and others, who have a great name to-day, will utterly fail.” Mr. Allan MacPherson had the mind of the Lord, which the Judgment Seat of Christ will vindicate, when speechless confusion shall cover with shame all finally impenitent gainsayers.
As to Prof. Finlayson, his prejudice against the Rev. Neil Cameron and against the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, shows a man under another influence than divine. We cannot both be right, and I personally regard the F.P. Church of Scotland as the most Scriptural, and the most faithfully apostolic on Scottish soil to-day, and the Rev. Neil Cameron as the most faithful and saintly minister of the Gospel I ever had the pleasure and privilege of hearing and knowing in my day and generation. ‘He was a faithful man, and feared God above many,’ but he was no tyrant, but a thorough Christian gentleman.
As for meticulous regard to accuracy of statement, Prof. Finlayson is certainly not conspicuous. Some twenty years ago, and less than that, the F.P. Church of Scotland was not the smallest denomination in Scotland, even among churches holding the Presbyterian system of Church government. It has for many years been much larger than the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and larger than the late Original Secession Church. The truth as it is in Jesus, as well as merely secular historical truth, is quite independent of majorities and minorities, and it is high time this oft-repeated sophistry was exposed.
To charge Mr. Cameron, as it seems, with “subtle policies” and “domineering tactics,” “overrunning and overlording,” “with an iron will and ruthless technique,” is to be guilty of using language of a serious nature. Prof. Finlayson had little or no opportunity of knowing Mr. Cameron intimately, so that his groundless charges are either derived from hearsay or imagination. The probability is that he has derived his false information from ministers and others, unfaithful to solemn ordination vows, who left the F.P. Church of Scotland for the Free Church of Scotland, with its indiscriminate exchange of pulpits, and preaching “that would not please a Calvinist nor yet offend an Arminian.” Mr. Cameron did not suffer fools gladly when treating men who treated their ordination vows with contempt.
In conclusion, the deep affection and sincere ardent admiration of the late Rev. Neil Cameron in the hearts of God-fearing Free Presbyterians were due mainly, among other things, to his uncompromising fidelity to his principles, convictions, and ordination vows, together with his extraordinary possession of the secret of the Lord, as manifested in his discovering of and administering the appropriate comfort to, the trials, difficulties, temptations, and tribulations, inward and outward, of the Lord’s afflicted people, manifesting thereby also the fact that he was an outstanding man of prayer.
May God give the spirit of repentance, in a day of mercy and grace, to those cherishing unfounded prejudice, against a branch of the visible church that is faithfully, and in much weakness and frailty, seeking to serve the true Cause of Christ in our day and generation, and to transmit to posterity, unimpaired and intact, the Scriptural testimony of Reformed Scotland.—J. P. MacQueen.