A general definition of religion has been given, as “the recognition of a supernatural power and of the duty lying upon man to yield obedience to that power.” As to the Christian religion, its reality and nature is fully unfolded in the Inspired Word of God and of course more fully in the New Testament wherein there is the fulfillment and exposition of much of the Old Testament: and throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation we have a revelation of the mind and will of God for man’s salvation. God, in the Bible sets forth His name, glory and also His claims upon man. In Ecclesiastes we read: “Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” And according to the striking and well known words in the answer to the first question of the Shorter Catechism, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever.” Man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him; and can only glorify and enjoy Him according to the expressed mind and Will of God given by the Spirit of God in His Word. The glory and praise of God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and the salvation of countless sinners of the human race are of the very essence of the Christian religion.
Now the Word of God teaches and proves that the carnal mind of man is enmity against God and is not subject to the law of God; neither indeed can be (Rom. 8). And this mind in unregenerate men within the visible Christian Church in certain branches of it and also outwith the realm of the Church, is tremendously active in these days in demonstrating the hatred that men have primarily to God and the things of God and the true Christian religion. Judas opposed the Lord Jesus, openly and actively and especially after Satan, the arch-enemy of God, had entered into him. And to some of us, it appears that Satan is at the present time actively and powerfully stirring up men, even some who profess to be servants of Christ and also others to oppose, attack and cast disdain upon the Name of God and the fundamentals of the Christian religion. Matters have come to the stage when these attacks are almost fashionable in the sphere of religion throughout Britain, the land of Reformers, Covenanters and pious and intellectual Puritans.
We have alluded in recent times, once and again, to ways in which the various and vital parts of the faith have been attacked in Scotland and England. And it may emphasise the extent and nature of the attack if we just briefly note several outstanding “prongs” in this Satanic endeavour to undermine the confidence of the people in Biblical Christianity. (1) Canon J. D. Pierce-Higgins of Southwark Cathedral, London, has challenged the 39 Articles of his own Church, on Predestination, Eternal Punishment and the Resurrection of Christ. He declared at Cambridge, in August, that much in the Bible was “just plain wrong,” and that Paul was completely wrong in his idea of a second coming and of the sudden transformation of the bodies of the Saints, etc. (2) Most readers will have read something of the work, “Honest to God,” by Bishop Robinson, of Woolwich, in which he discounts the view of redemption from sins by the coming and sacrificial death of the Son of God, and the doctrines of a personal God, etc. (3) There have been attacks on the Sabbath Day, in the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland; and an endeavour to stipulate that the old Scottish Sabbath in observance of God’s commandment, is and should be considered undesirable and a thing of the past, in the religious life of the people of Scotland. The Sabbath law has been called a Jewish institution; and the Lord’s Day should be given now not only to divine worship, but worldly recreations and activities of all kinds and with the authority of the so-called Christian Church. Churchmen have thus given a lead to eliminate one of the divinely given bulwarks of the Christian religion. (4) Then there has been teaching and propaganda in favour of what is now called “The New Morality,” which in the light of the moral law of God and the Bible is just the old immorality. By the new outlook the heinous sin of fornication is not to be condemned but to be accepted in charity as normal conduct. This “New Morality” has had its protagonists among intellectual men recently and it does seem that they are completely blinded even to the disastrous consequences of this sin to the bodies of sinners. Satan and some spiritually ignorant intellectuals are so opposed to any thought of submitting to divine authority that they are aiming at the moral and physical ruin of the rising generation. We, ourselves are conversant with medical reports of an up to date nature regarding the unprecedented spread of venereal disease to-day, and for which there is no antidote at the present time. In face of these reports, these attacks on Christian moral principles continue to emanate from men of intellect and influence. Men who have no place for the divine law will prescribe and substitute in its place the miserable standard — “Let every man do that which is right in his own eyes.” (5) Worldly and carnal views have also been expressed lately by Scottish Churchmen in relation to the content and time of public worship. The Rev. P. C. MacQuoid of St. Ninian’s Parish Church, Turiff, Aberdeenshire, expressed his intention to cut his own services down to forty-five minutes and suggested a ten-minute sermon. His reason for this is that boredom sets in if a service lasts longer than three-quarters of an hour. Here we would interpose the question: Who is responsible for the boredom? A writer in one of the daily papers in commenting upon Rev. Mr MacQuoid’s proposals stated that there are churches in Scotland where two 90-minute services are held every Lord’s Day as the normal practice. And he adds significantly that “These churches enjoy a Biblical Ministry — and the congregations are alive spiritually and successful financially.” This is an observation we might have made ourselves with a long and intimate knowledge of the truth of the above statement; only we thought it more telling to quote from an independent writer. Is it not an attack on Christian religion to ask men to work 45 hours a week and to require them to wait upon God for 45 minutes per week in God’s house? Truly there is something wrong somewhere when such is the case. The root of the wrong can easily be discovered by a study of the Holy Scriptures. But two points may be noted for further thought on this matter. Is it not essential for professors and lecturers, say in our universities, to take up the whole of a lecture period of at least 45 minutes, in expounding their subject to their students on several days of the week? But the great subject of the Christian faith is to be given but ten-minutes at a diet once or twice every week, by Rev. Mr MacQuoid’s ideas. Then in the outside world, dances all over the country are required to last from three and sometimes five hours throughout the night. The world opens its doors for five hours and the Church at Turiff for 45 minutes. Thus the Christian religion is being treated with absolute disdain not only by non-Christians but by some who profess that religion. (6) The British Association met at Aberdeen in August: Mr E. J. H. Corner, Reader and plant specialist, Cambridge University, expressed himself as anti—the Christian religion in a lecture which he gave. He said: “I am not alone in finding no solace in religion which takes one into man-made edifices, with man-made ritual, and which cannot perceive that ‘everything that lives is holy’.” He also revealed his contempt for the public worship of God and His house when he said: “I am glad when holidays take people into the open, leaving the churches empty, so that there can be realised the glory that has been lost in cities.” What a clear, but sad picture of a man who has no mind or time to consider the glory of Christ, His gospel or the blessedness of the worship of God in a right spirit in His house. Here is a man who is out to influence others to seek and find the “greatest” glory in nature in the countryside. What a poor, empty substitute for the solace to be found in the Salvation of God in Christ crucified by a believing sinner! Here we have in the educated and refined scientist of Cambridge one who despises and rejects the worship and solace bound up with the true religion of the Bible and the fear of God.
We have thus in the foregoing notes indicated a few, varied, evidences of the activities of the Kingdom of darkness against the religion emanating from and bound up with the Person and glory of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and the Word and Worship of God. All this calls upon the people of God to-day, to stand fast in the faith once delivered to the saints, and to be given much to prayer for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our beloved land. There is need that they who fear God approve themselves as His servants by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, inasmuch as it is becoming more and more evident that attacks are coming from all quarters. Satan is exceedingly active; therefore Christians must be alert and watchful to keep, by divine assistance, their garments clean and to be very courageous in making their minds known in opposition to what is erroneous in relation to the truth of God and ruinous to the souls of men and the Cause of Christ in the land. “Turn us again, O God, and cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” (Ps. 80:3).