April - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland

Ch~wch Notes. 511out of the country. Woe subjoin a letter from OOle of the Gliasgowevening papers, a sl.'nsible piece of criticism, amidst much sillynonsense which is served up to its readers night after night."I have not seen 'Green Pastures,'" says this correspondent,"but if I have to witness my religion being mocked I will,certainly not !90 to see the picture. The negroes may think tha~God is a berrevolent-looking old gentleman in a frock-coat,although we know that to be ridiculous and wrong. . ..but he who is a white Christian and who could sit and lookat such blasphemy: there have we found the real sinner."Matters of Interest: Divorce Bill for Scotland andChanges in Coronation Oath.-Lord Alness has introduceda Bill in the House of Lords p1'O'posing to give wider scope fordivorCe in Scotland. Hitherto the law of the land was thatset down in the Confession of Faith viz: tha.'t "nothing butadultery, or such wilful desertion as can in no way be remediedby the Church or Civil Magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolvingthe bond of marriage." The new Bill, if passed into law, willpermit divorce for insanity, habitual drunkenness, etc.In the new form of the King's Coronaltion Oath among otherchanges made is the omission of "King by the Grace. of God."Whatever opinions may be held on the other chllillges we cannotbut condemn this ehange. The position occupied by th,e Dukeof Norfolk in the Coronation ceremonies is awakening concernin the minds of Protestants and suspicions exist in the mindsof many, whether well founded or not our present informationdoes not enable us either to affirm or deny that some of thechanges such as the omission of "Defender of the ,Faith" maybe due to him. vVe leave these matters meantime without furthercomment as Committees of the Synod, we understand, have them.under review.Church Notes.Communions.-Ap·ril--First Sabbath, Port.nalong; second,Lochgilphead; t.hird, Greenock; fourth, Gl~sgolV aud Wick.