Action over Baptism Divides a Congregation
We publish below a report which appeared recently in the press about the action of a Church of Scotland minister and his Kirk Session, in Ayrshire, about the privilege of Baptism; and whatever we may deplore as unscriptural practices in the Church of Scotland, the action of the said Kirk Session is to be commended. The report is as follows:— The Rev. Stuart M. Goudie, of West Parish Church, Maybole, has four times refused to baptise children because their parents did not attend church every Sabbath. The refusals came after a warning in the March issue of the church’s quarterly magazine over the signature of the session clerk, Mr Robert Martin, of Thornbroke Farm, Maybole. He stated that the ministers and elders were concerned over the number of parents who, after taking vows at their children’s baptismal services, failed “for one reason or another” to implement them. The article, after quoting one of the baptismal vows, undertaking “by prayer and example” to bring the child up in the Christian faith, goes on to explain:—”The example refers to regular Sabbath worship, and not, as some seem to think, to attendance at Communion.” The ban has split the congregation of 600.
Immigrants from Irish Republic to be Restricted
Immigration from the Irish Republic to Britain runs at the rate of between 45,000 and 65,000 a year. All these men and women come from a country which was never satisfied until they separated from Protestant Britain, and which would swallow up Protestant Ulster if they could. They do not find work in Spain or Portugal where Roman Catholicism prevails. The Irish Republic has been until now the only foreign country whose citizens could come to Britain without restriction. The granting of this unique privilege we could never understand apart from Romish background influence. But the state of immigration today has forced the Government to act to prevent our country from being flooded with “foreigners” from all parts of the Commonwealth and other countries such as the Irish Republic. In the future the Government are to issue work permits without which the Irish will be refused permission to land; and not before time.* Officials will need to keep a close watch on attempts to enter this “hated” country of ours, which at the same time seems to be a pleasant land when it comes to finding a livelihood.
- Since writing this note it has been announced that Mr Butler has withdrawn restriction from the Irish. The hand of R.C. Church may be behind this.—Editor.
Vatican Visit by Scottish Moderator Favoured
At the beginning of October, three important Committees of the Church of Scotland issued their unanimous finding—that any invitation to the Moderator of the General Assembly to visit the Pope when he is in Rome next March should be warmly accepted. These Committees were asked by the Assembly to consider the advisability of such a visit. We have made a brief comment on this matter already elsewhere in this issue. Prolonged comment on this matter is really not necessary to bring home upon any god-fearing, intelligent Protestant in Scotland that this official action on the part of the Church of Scotland is one of the most dangerous steps taken in Scotland to ultimately eliminate from the minds and hearts of the majority (not all) of the people of Scotland any attachment to the name of the Reformers and their great work of Reformation. If we are not mistaken, should the visit take place, the supposed courtesy character of it will commence some kind of official links with the Vatican. Is there not one man, in the whole Church of Scotland, capable of raising his voice as a trumpet against all their evil work?
President Kennedy’s Mother Received by Pope
Mrs Kennedy, mother of the American President, is, of course, a Roman Catholic. Recently she was received in private audience by the Pope, who commended her son’s “efforts for world peace.” She received several rosaries for her family. Her family would be unspeakably more favoured if they got gifts of the Bible and not such trashy trinkets. President Kennedy’s record so far for world peace is not very commendable as was the case in regard to the invasion of Cuba. Why these visits? Because many prominent people are deceived into believing that the Pope is not only the spiritual but also the temporal ruler of the world. He celebrated at the beginning of November the anniversary of his “coronation.” Coronation! The apostle Peter whose successor the Pope claims to be, had no coronation, no triple crown with jewels, no gorgeous robes, no throne in this world, no palace like the Vatican. And Peter was married, although the Pope and his clergy are forbidden to marry. If Mrs Kennedy and her family would read the Bible with open minds they would make some discoveries.
So-called Christmas
This month the so-called religious festival, Christmas, will be observed as usual by multitudes of men, women and children. The majority will give themselves over to a variety of frivolous amusements and worldly forms of entertainment. Some will attend religious services in the Roman Catholic Church, Church of England, and in many other denominations. We have written, and others also, in these pages exposing this festival for what it is from year to year. Its origins are pagan, it is not enjoined by Scripture upon living believers in Christ that they should celebrate it, the exact date of Christ’s birth is not known, the date observed—25th December—is an arbitrary choice by men, it lends itself to superstitions and idolatrous ceremonies in Churches and elsewhere, such as the veneration of images of the Child Jesus, etc. The children of God who live a life of faith upon Christ, have reason to rejoice not only in the birth but the life, death and resurrection of their Redeemer, and this as grace may be granted them at all seasons of the year. The crowds who affect to remember the birth of the Saviour, have little or no regard for Christ’s pure gospel and the Lord’s Day in the most of cases. We need to get back to attendance, upon divine worship and the preaching of the whole counsel of God from week to week throughout the whole year, seeking the power of the Holy Spirit to make Christ Jesus precious to our guilty and needy souls.