p. 8 | OUR LONDON LETTER by M. Ellsworth Olsen

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 13, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 19.

OUR LONDON LETTER.

By M. Ellsworth Olsen

Days of Unrest.

“We live,” said a member of Parliament very recently, “in days of unrest and rumor.” These words truly describe the situation in Great Britain at the present time. To be sure, the multitude now, as almost always, is more or less indifferent, improvident, and careless; but thoughtful people view the future with grave apprehension. The present government, altho entering upon its office with a very large majority, has recently lost several by-elections, and has become exceedingly unpopular with Nonconformists by reason of the Education Bill, which it forced through Parliament by free application of the closure. Prominent members of the Nonconformist body are declaring that they will offer passive resistance by refusing to pay the education rate. This will lay them open to the visit of a bailiff, who will sell by auction a portion of their furniture sufficient to cover the sum.

The Education Act—What It Means.

A great public meeting was held in Hornsey, North London, last Thursday evening. Rev. R. J. Campbell, successor of Dr. Parker, in the City Temple, and at the present moment probably the most popular Nonconformist preacher in the kingdom, giving the principal address. He pointed out that the fight against the Education Act was a struggle for the very life and existence of Nonconformity. He should refuse voluntarily to pay the rate because the act spelled educational inefficiency. On a higher ground he would refuse because the act “compels me to support a form of religion in which I do not believe, and against which Nonconformity is a standing protest.” The war-cry would be, “We will pay the people’s rate, but not the parson’s rate,” i. e., they are willing to pay a proper school tax, but not to pay a Church of England parson to teach their children his own peculiar religious views.

What would be the general character of the religious instruction given the school children under the guidance of the clergy, may be discerned without difficulty. Ritualists form the dominant section of the State school. A recent publication of theirs, entitled, “A Catechism for Catholics in England,” contains the following, among other interesting things: “Are Protestant Dissenters in schism?—Protestant Dissenters are in schism, and their ministers not being in the apostolic succession, have no authority to teach, and can not administer the sacraments.” Among the things to be confessed are attending services at Nonconformist chapels and going to fortune tellers, both equally sinful according to this publication of a supposedly Protestant denomination. In point of fact it can hardly be distinguished from a Roman Catholic catechism. Such is the teaching which, under the new Education Act, is to be paid for entirely out of public money.

Drifting Romeward—Prayer for the Dead.

Another straw showing the direction of the popular current, is announcement of the holding of a special service in St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 6, for the soldiers who died in the South African war. One feature of the service, according to the Record, will be “a celebration of Holy Communion for the repose of the souls,” of these soldiers. This is denied by some officials, but there is no denial as to the service including public prayers for the dead, and a ritual almost exactly modeled on that of the Roman Catholic Church. The Army Guild, justifying the proposed service in the Sentry, says: “We are going to plead the sacrifice of Christ for them [the deceased soldiers]. We do not look upon our comrades, much less our brethren who died doing their duty most nobly to their king and country, as past praying for.”

It has been pointed out that this service, if carried out, will be the first of the kind held in a national English cathedral since the Reformation. An anonymous circular has been scattered all over London calling on Protestants to assemble in thousands and make it “impossible to hold this illegal service for the dead.” It is not unlikely that there will be noisy demonstrations, but the authorities thus far show no signs of yielding.

Effort to Change the King’s Oath.

It is announced that another effort will be made in the present session of Parliament to abolish the king’s declaration oath, the wording of which is so offensive alike to Catholics and Ritualists. The Duke of Norfolk, a most prominent and influential Roman Catholic, is to submit a petition in the House of Lords, signed by members of the faithful. Some readers of the Signs will remember the huge mass meeting held something over a year ago in the Royal Albert Hall to protest against any change in the king’s oath. Judging from general appearances, the Ritualistic cause has gained much in influence since then, and it is bound to do so. The English people have given up their Bible, and they are supplying its place with forms and ceremonies. It is a most significant fact that, as a general rule, the churches where Ritualistic services are conducted, have the largest attendances. This naturally has some influence with the preachers.

And yet, the people, many of them at least, are really longing for the pure, simple Gospel. What is needed is a new reformation, preached in the power of the Holy Ghost, and lived.

London, April 17. M. ELLSWORTH OLSEN.