NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10405, 1 April 1897, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Thk thousands in all parte of the British Empire and in America who have been delighted with "lan Alaolaren's" books will be shocked at the news cabled yesterday that he is to be placed on his trial for heresy. The heresy hunt seems to be one of the outcomes of Dr. Watson's recent visit to America where the orthodoxy of his opinions appears to have been first openly called in question. A passage taken from the opening chapter of "The Mind of the Master 1 has come to be generally known as "lan Maclaren's Creed." It runs as follows :-"I believe in the Fatherhood of God ; I believe in the words of Jesus; I believe in the clean heart; I believe in the service of love; I believe in the unworldly life; I believe in the beatitudes; I promise to trust. God and follow Christ, to forgive my enemies, and follow after the righteousness of God." This creed, which is stated to be an attempt on the author's part to set forth a platform upon which all believers in Christ, of whatever denomination or sect, or of no sect at all for that matter, can stand together, was much discussed during his American tour, and met with great opposition in certain influential quarters. The trouble teems to have been caused, not by anything whioli the so-called creed stated, but by what it omitted to state. That the passage from " The Mind of the Master" was never intended by Dr. Watson to represent all that he regarded as esssential seems evident from the declaration <he made on, another occasion,' when ;he set down; the' following. as the points upon which all Christian

people were agreed :(a) That Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world; (b) that the soul is saved hy the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection ci Jesus Christ; (c) the existence and function of the Holy Ghost; (d) the Bible, as revelation of God; (e) the future life and the Judgment Day. ». 1 Dealing with the informal charges of heresy which were some months ago being levelled against Dr. Watson, the Christian World states" Since lan llaclaren came home some of the American theologians have been calling him hard names. They 1 have even raked up one of the mustiest f kind, which the living generation have T been happily ignorant of, and now call bim ' a Pelagian.' But lest this should not b« }"■ sufficiently understood to excite its ancient f influence as a deterrent of admiration, an ft indictment has been framed in nineteenth- | century language, that gives a perfectly I explicit warning to the unsophisti. - cated multitude whom the great story writer has charmed. 'Not since the appearance of "Gates Ajar" has so dangerous a book us "Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush" made its appearance.' The bold deliverer of this tremendous cautiou gives a reason for it. The danger of the book ii that lit insinuates itself into the heart,' 'disarms criticism,' and 'captivates the young and unsuspecting.' In his view it is inspired by the enemy of souls. 'It will possibly, if it has not already, prove the rain of many who else might have proved efficient and happy Christians. 1 This warning comes from Cincinnati, where Professor H. P. Smith's conviction of heresy guarantees theological soundness; but it is a Baptist this time who sounds the trumpet. There are, however, some more sensible people in Cincinnati."

The wonderful vigour, both mental and physical, of Mr. Gladstone, notwithstanding his eighty-eight years, becomes mors astonishing every day. It is not often an octogenarian recovers from the effects of a severe operation upon his eyes, followed by a painful fall, as easily as England') " Grand Old Man" has done, and as if that was not sufficient proof of his marvellooi vitality, w» are now informed that ha hai fallen a victim to the cycling craze. He hai also found a new outlet for his overflowing mental energy in an intellectual tusslewitt another European octogenarian with a reputation as world-wide as his own—Pope Leo XIII. Itiswell known that Mr. Gladstone has taken a great interest in the recent controversy regarding the validity of Anglican Orders, a.'d to a correspondent who wrote to him on »be subject of the recent Papal ( Bull, he has sent the following reply " Dear Sir.—ln a lew weeks I hope to pub. lish a small volume of facts which will contain what I have to say upon the Papal 801 l condemning Anglicau Ordsrs. I leave to properly qualified persons the examination and exposure of his feeble arguments, but ] offer a few comments upon the strange want of forethought, courage, and precedence which, while doubtless acting with good intention, he has exhibited." Judging by the light-hearted manner in which the aged statesman launches out on new under* takings, intellectual and physical, from ' time to time, one would never dream that he was within mesurable distance of becoming a centenarian.

" The balance of power in South Africa," writes Mr. Poultney Bigelow in Harper's Monthly Magazine, " is to-day in the hands of Merthinas 'l'heunis titeyu, President of the Orange Free State"; whom he proceeds to describe from personal knowledge, and to contrast with President Krugerof the Transvaal. The latter can scarcely write his name, is ignorant of books, and is to-day " a political anachronism." Both . ace men of great physical strength and stature; and there the resemblance ceases. Stoyn is a statesman, broad-minded, liberally educated, simple in habits, dignified in manner, and well versed in both the prac« tice and philosophy of the law, in which h< has distinguished himself, first of all as an advocate and then as a judge. Kruger is politician, shrewd, crafty, cunning, and illiterate, and as selfish as his contemporary is unselfish. When Steyn had been three years a judge the Chief Justice resigned. As next in rank he could have claimed th« position, instead of which he waited on the President and begged of him to appoint a colleague, who was older in years than himself ; and this was done. Kruger's policy in excluding the Uitlanders from the full rights of citizenship is well known. In Steyn's inaugural address in the Volksraad last year he said —" In this free State, where from all quarters strangers are coming to us, is it not a glorious task to incor< porate these strangers with us and amalgamate them in one republican people ?" And as is thedifference between the two president! such is the difference between the twe peoples; for the Boers of the Orange Free State look down upon the Boers of th( Transvaal as their inferiors, while acknow> ledging their kinship. It is highly dis* creditable to British statesmanship and foresight that this community should have been deliberately cut adrift by the Imperial Government and compelled to organise independently. In 1854 this Boer Stats sent a deputation to England, begging to be allowed to remain under the British flag. The Duke of Newcastle replied that England has already extended her rule too far in Africa, and wanted no territory beyond 4 coaling station at the Cape. Just then the Government was preoccupied by the Crimean war, which Lord Salisbury baa recently confessed to have been a great mistake.

The crisis in Crete is assuming an alarming aspect. Colonel Vassos, the commander of the Greok regulars in the Island, defies the Powers. The foreign admirals have in consequence applied for reinforcements. A detachment of ths Welsh Fusiliers has been ordered to Crete. The vessels belonging to the Cape Station have also been ordered to get ready to proceed to sea. The warships of the Powers have fired on Greek troops. In Thessaly the situation M very critical. Both Turkey and Greece are massing troops on the frontier. It > s reported in Berlin that a number of German officers have been engaged by Turkey. The Spaniards have won a substantial victory in the Philippines, and have captured the rebel leader who succeeded Maceo in Cuba. A member of the French Chamber of Deputies has been arrested in connection with the Panama frauds.