THE GENERAL ASSEMBLIES OF THE SCOTTISH CHURCHES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3312, 5 September 1917, Page 51

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLIES OF THE SCOTTISH CHURCHES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) GLASGOW, June 5. The General Assemblies of the three Presbyterian Churches in Scotland have concluded their sittings. There was almost an entire absence of the pomp which was characteristic of the opening ceremony of the Established Church in pre-war days. While not lacking in dignity, there #vas a subdued tone throughout the proceedings, and an impressive earnestness befitting the circumstances of the times. His Grace the Luke of Montrose represented the King as Lord High Commissioner, and the venerable Professor Cooper, of Glasgow University, was the Moderator. The usual exchange of courtesies took place between the Established and United Free Churches. In the Moderator's chair of the latter Church was the learned and Rev. Principal Mackichan, of the Wilson College, Bombay. The European conflict bulked largely in the discussions of all the Assemblies, and, following the precedent of past years, and to which attached a special signifiance in view cf the overtures towards union, a joint devotional service was held in the afternoon of the second day of the Assemblies in the United Free Hall, the participating bodies being the Church of Scotland and the United Free _ Church. They were joined by the Original Secession Church, which was also meeting in Ed.nburgh. The Legal 'Frees did not see their way to be associated with the . other churches in intercessory prayer on behalf of their country. The Moderator of the United Free Church Assembly presided, and th-i leaders of the various churches sat side by side on the platform, as did the members of the Assemblies in the body of the spacious hall. Those taking part were Professor Cooper (Moderator of the Church of Scotland Assembly), Sir H. L. Eraser (United Free Church), Sir Christopher N. Johnston, K.C., M.P. (Procurator of the Church of Scotland), and the Rev. Dr Smellie tModerator of the Original Secession Synod). Resolutions were passed in the name of the churches on the various aspects of the war, and forwarded to the King, Sir Douglas Haig, Admiral Beattie, and the Presbyterian Assembly at Boston, United States of America. Both the great Assemblies have given expression to the satisfaction felt in Scotland at the United States of America participating in the present struggle for justice and freedom. In speaking to the motion in the Established Church Assembly, Sir C. N. Johnston, the Procurator, said he believed " that that which most inflamed the heart of millions of Americans was the thought that now in a just cause America could stand shoulder to shoulder with tho Old Land, which was . the homo of their race, the cradle in which they were nurtured. We had called our sons from far, and to-day we could thank God that all our sons were coming."

A note of alarm was sounded in the Established as well as the United Free Assembly regarding the decline in the birthrate. Professor Milligan, in referring to the decrease of 6865 scholars at the Sunday schools of the Church of Scotland, said the falling off had begun to a great extent before the war. They could not, _ he declared, dissociate this question with the declino in the birth-rate. Having taken expert advice they were convinced that the cause of the decline in attendance was attributable to the extent of two-thirds to the fall of the national birth-rate. That, said the Professor, could be fairly called an alarming state of affairs. The very existence of the Church seemed to be threatened nt its source, and there was surely a most imperative call upon the Church to bring home in every way possible to parents throughout the country the privilege and responsibility of Christian baptism. The Rev. A. N. fiogle, in submitting the report of tho Statistics Committeee to the United Free Assembly, said the vital part was the decrease in the young life of the Church. The decrease was beginning at the cradle.

Last year they had only 15.705 baptisms—a decrease of 666 on the previous year's total. They were not less than 7203 down—a decrease of over 30 per cent, compared with 20 years ago. The fact of the matter was that the children were not there. The birth-rate had fallen in an extraordinary degree in the past generation, and it seemed to be the case, though he could not Drove it from figures, that the birth-raie had fallen in an accentuated degree just among those classes of the community from whom the membership of the Church was largely drawn. No duty was clearer or more insistent upon the Church than to try and deliver their people from the views and ideas which had brought about thi* deplorable result. The Established and United Free Churches have demanded in no half-hearted manner the prohibition of the drink traffic. In moving the deliverance at the United Frco Assembly, the_ Rev. James Barr, of Govan, who now wields a large amount of influence in the Church, as well as amongthe people of Scotland generally, said the time had come when, by his own lips, the Prime Minister should" tell them where they stood in regard to prohibition. It was not the liquor traffic that was on trial. Sentenco had gone out against it. Its doom was writ. It was the Government that was on trial now. Unless it acted, and acted quickly, its doom also would be writ.

One of the- most remarkable utterances during the sittings of the supremo courts of the Scottish Churches was that of the Rev. George Douglas, M.A., Manchuria, at the reception given to missionaries of the United Free Church home on furlough. Ho described the magnitude of the work in the Far Bast, where, he said, a glad, new day had dawned. China had begun to move with irresistible force, and where Japan was in she comity of nations to-day China would bo to-morrow, with manifold greater force, not so much because of her colossal proportions or because of her in' domitablo stamina, but because of the forces that had brought that mighty movement about. The lever that brought about that movement was the preaching of the Gospel. Their descendants 100 years hence, looking back, would regard the revolution in Russia as secondary in importance and far-reaching effects to the revolution that took place in China six years ago. One heard about a greater conflict between Fast and West after the present war was over. China hated war, and China would ere long bo in a position, even commercially, to prevent it. The fear of the "Yellow Peril" coming from the Far East was only a figment of the Kaiser's brain. The main significance of the revolution in China waa this: that it was admitted by the leaders of the revolution who brought it about that it was mainly due to the steady working of the leaven of Christianity in the land. There could be no mistaking the genuineness of the utterances of the leaders of the Churches in relation to the war. We could not bo too clear or too strong in our grasp of what was the central issue involved in tins gigantic struggle, declared the Rew Dr Wallace Williamson in presenting the report of the Commission on the War. If the struggle were bewildering from the material point of view, it was even more bewildering from the spiritual point of view; but this stood clear: it was no mere war of physical forces. It was a war of spiritual ideals —a war with an enemy who discarded the moral sanctions of national conduct, and made might the only guide in national policy. The policy _of our chief enemy in this war was_ a direct challenge to those spiritual convictions which must remain the basis of all human government. Wo had to thank God in this hour that aa a nation in regard to this conflict we rested in peaco of soul. Our national conscience was satisfied, and, with one heart and one soul, our noblest youth leading the way even unto death, we had gone into the struggle, and God would help us win through. The Committee of the United Free Church devoted part of their inquiry to ascertaining as far as possible the attitude and relations of men in the Scottish regi* ments of the New Army to religion and to the Church. There was a general agreement, they found, that a large measure of indifference prevailed, as at home, but that there was not much definite and pronounced hostility. A respectful attitude was general, sympathetic in a considerable degree. The sense of the need of religion and its comfort had been quickened. It would appear that, in Scottish battalions, the percentage in actual church membership was much greater than in the army as a whole; but the large proportion without a real church, connection ought to cause the Church serious concern. The facts which were before the committee brought the Church face to face with a great task and a great opportunity. When the question of union came np it was found in both Assemblies that a division had to be taken before approval waa g'ven to the proposed deliverances. The difference of opinion in the Church of Scotland was not on the merits of xmion but on tho proceduro proposed to be followed by tho committee between now and the next Assembly. The proposal of the_ committee was to give further consideration to the form of the draft articles in the light of anv suggestions that may be received up to March 1 next, either from Presbyteries or from the United Free Church. Exception was taken to this proposal on the ground that controversy should be avoided in these times. The Assembly by a large majority supported tho committee. Tho venerable Dr Henderson, of Crieff, presented the report on union in the United Free Church' Assembly. He explained how the war had arrested progress; but the Church of Scotland's request for a reopenin"- of the conference was approved bv the United Free Committee. The Rev. Walter Brown. Edinburgh, one of tho old United Presbyterian ministers, expressed the opim'on that there was a very strong drift which might in the end carry the courts of the United Free Church into the Established Church; but he insisted that it would not oarry very many members of tbd Church with it. There would be ministers who would remain immovable on the rook of the principles of the United Free Church,, Dr Henderson's proposal was carried.

The belligerents will have spent on the —A system of shorthand writing lor the war the sum of £18,000,000,000 between Chinese language has been invented by Mr them if hostilities continue until the be- A'org Po Koung, of Hongkong, and a ginning of Ootober at the present rate speed of 140 words per minute nas been of expenditure. attained by him.