An Objection to Cinemas on Sabbath Open to Criticism
When an application was made to Inverness Town Council at the beginning of June to permit the opening of cinemas in the town on the Lord’s Day, strong objection to this was made by the Kirk Session of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and also objection was expressed by a Free Church minister and one Church of Scotland minister. Following this, an editorial appeared in the Aberdeen “Press and Journal” attacking mainly the Church of Scotland minister for inconsistency on the question of Sabbath observance. The article does not defend the Sabbath, but exposes the weakness of any protest by Church of Scotland ministers in the light of the recent Deliverance on recreation on the Lord’s Day by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The editorial runs: “Are Inverness ministers seriously committed to the view that no cinemas should be open on a Sunday evening? . . . In the view of one Inverness minister, the interpretation of Sunday observance approved at the last Assembly does not extend to ‘this kind of thing’—meaning cinemas. Doesn’t it?” We see now in this case the evil aftermath of the General Assembly’s liberal and unscriptural views of Sabbath observance. The world now properly asks, although without a right motive, where is the line to be drawn and by whom? Another pertinent quotation from the aforesaid editorial is, “Are they prepared to campaign against switching on of television sets, when the curtains are drawn after the evening service? ” Here we are reminded of an Aberdeen minister who, some years ago, criticised a play which he had seen on television on Sabbath evening. All this shows that there must be no worldly-wise views of the Fourth Commandment by the Church of Christ. If sections of the professed Christian Church seek to satisfy worldly professors of religion within their borders, then they will find themselves in the situation again and again when the world will laugh at them for being inconsistent.—Since this note was written we are glad to know that Inverness Town Council have rejected the application for cinemas on Sabbath.
Aberdeen Approves of Cinemas on the Sabbath
On the 8th of June last, the Aberdeen Magistrates approved an application from the Cinema Exhibitors Association for permission to open two cinemas each Lord’s Day between 4.30 p.m. and 10 p.m. The local secretary of the Association said: “This is very good news . . . the shows should be an added attraction for visitors, many of whom have complained about lack of Sunday entertainment.” Two comments may be offered here. The Lord of the Sabbath has not approved of these evil demands of a money-grubbing world. And what happened even in Old Testament times is happening now—men calling evil good. The sad thing is that many towns in the north-east of Scotland have cinemas open on the Lord’s Day. To those who truly fear God, the cinemas on weekdays are bad enough. But this generation become more and more lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. And the end of those things is death.
Soviet Paper Warns Against Religion
In The English Churchman for 1st June, 1962, there appears a report that the leading Soviet publication Science and Religion has warned its readers that many professional people in Russia are not only baptised Christians but openly practice religion. This paper states that a University diploma is “no guarantee of the atheism of its owner”; and it goes on to say that Universities are “too general and too vague” in their criticism of religion and accuses professors of being negligent in educating students “in a really atheistic way.” How dark and daring are the political ruling classes of Russia in their hatred to God and the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ! Communism, of course, is their religion. But the Lord Jesus is reigning at the right hand of God till all His enemies are made His footstool.
Booklet Issued by Church of England Bishop
The Rev. Dr. Reindorp, Bishop of Guilford’s new Cathedral, has—according to The English Churchman—issued a little book, the contents of which encourage Romish practices. In it, he mentions “the Sacrament of Holy Unction,” prayers for the dead, Penance, the daily Mass, “the blessings of the Reserved Sacrament,” and “the intercession of the blessed Mother of God and all the Saints.” And this is the kind of propaganda that goes on in the Church of England continually with little or no hindrance, reproof or discipline. The Bishop quite evidently is working, not for the Church of England, but for the Church of Rome. Viscount Alexander in a recent address warned his hearers that they were living in perilous times and stated that among other things, “Another threat was from apostacy within the Church of England.”
A Vatican Reminder to Protestant Brothers
To foolish, backsliding Protestants who are seriously undermining the heritage we received from the Reformers in Scotland, a recent statement issued by the Central Preparatory Commission of the Roman Church from the Vatican should be a check. It said that the R.C. “concept of Christian unity was not the same as that advocated by non-Catholics . . . In effect, the statement said that the Roman Catholic Church considered ‘ecumenicalism’ or Christian unity, as possible only by the return to the Church of the ‘separate brothers’ as Roman Catholics refer to Protestants.” And let the Church of Scotland leaders learn that the Romish Church at heart is not interested in courtesy calls and conferences at Rome and in Convents and monasteries as such; but only as these activities will work in one way or another to the actual coming over to and into the Roman bondage of professed Protestant clergy and people.