Volume II. Guth na Bliadhna ' leabhar II.]

a bh'aig Easbuig ag ionnsachadh sgoilearan bha
uair a chluichd bha iad ri snàmh a muigh

air an loch. Mach esan le chuid aodaich 'nam measg. Bheireadh e air chùl-cinn air feadhainn diubh's chuireadh e fo 'n uisg' iad, 's bha e 'gam bàthadh mar sin. Co bha 'ga choimhead a muigh romh 'n uinneig ach an t-Easbuig, agus dh'eubh e 'sin " Co leis an gille mùgach fionn a tha 'bathadh mo chuid sgoilearan ?"

" Taing do'n àgh" os a' chailleach, " fhuair mi baisteadh do'n ghille, 's tha 'dhiol uisge timchioll air."

" O fhuair," os an t-Easbuig, " Fionn Mac Cumhail."

Cha robh ach chuireadh saighdear bonn ri bonn timchioll an locha gus a mharbhadh.

Alasdair Ruadh.

REBELLION

A deep and innate respect for law and order is a necessary corollary of man's intelligence. " United we stand, divided we fall," is a truth he feels as much instinctively as he apprehends it intellectually. Rousseau's figment of a social compact, containing as it does but a grain of truth, is no more than a convenient foundation on which to raise a revolu­tionary philosophy. Man naturally is a social being, nor can this state ever be to him a matter of choice or indifference. Ranked no higher than " the superb animal " which Huxley calls him, he is at least gregarious and naturally loves order and method.

The common-sense of the world brands as absurd the idea that in things of State every man can be a law to himself. There is one law; one supreme tribunal representing the opinion of the whole or of the majority of the social body, and to this court from which there is no appeal, every man, whether he like it or not, is compelled to submit. Otherwise there is not merely rebellion but anarchy and the destruction of every form of social life.

This is readily apparent in all that pertains to the body politic; so much so that in these islands the secular arm is strong and indeed irresistible. Yet strange as it may seem, in the higher and religious sphere the opposite and absurd opinion is calmly acquiesced in. Here every man is a law unto himself, with the consequent result that all is chaos and inextricable confusion. The kaleido­scopic spirituality of Great Britain is the mirth of the unbeliever; and sad to tell the ranks of these are constantly swelled by the ever-increasing numbers of men disheartened and disgusted by the wrangling clamours of those who should be of one heart and mind. It is absurdly strange that what cannot be tolerated in man's relations with his fellow-man becomes with so many a fundamental principle in their relations with their God.

The pet Protestant dictum—in religion every man a law to himself—leads logically to rebellion, indifference, or unbelief. This is no mere theory which can be made to look convincing on paper. The short history of Protestantism gives abundant examples in each of the three cases. I take it for granted, apart altogether from experience, that such a principle must of necessity make for dis­union—must be the starting-point of myriad sects and factions. If every man be his own judge, unity is impossible where ambition, wealth, or power are factors in the decision.

On this principle, rebellion, or the active resist­ance to established law or government, very easily becomes a duty binding on conscience. I do not allude to the many strange cases of religious mania, when deluded men banded themselves together to overthrow and cut off the Amalacites, who were no other than their neighbours and fellow-citizens of yesterday. And yet how little different from such conduct was that of the " Lords of the Congrega­tion" in Scotland. Their most lenient apologists do not deny that they drew the sword and fought against the troops of their sovereign in the field. They treated with those who were then the enemies of the national freedom, asking for and receiving subsidies of English soldiers and English gold. Who denies for one moment that the " reformation" bristled with treason and rebellion; and that its agents from Murray and Knox were the creatures, tools and pensioners of England ? And why not, if each and all be free to deduce from the Word of God that their sovereign is Jezebel or Agog, the Pope antichrist, and Catholics the brood of vipers which must not escape from the wrath of the just?

But it may be said that these are early and extreme cases of which all are now ashamed Well, then, pass down through three hundred years, historically no great length of time, but filled with the wrangling war of Kirks, and view Scotland and England as they are before our eyes to-day. " Stands Scotland where she did ?" Exactly as we might have expected; only that the wrangling is at this moment at a stage specially acute. Two offshoots of the Established Church are at war. Though spiritual bodies, they have no powers to decide upon their grievances. They are forced to enter the law courts, each claiming to be recognised as what has been known as the Free Church of Scotland for some fifty years. After much expense and bitterness on both sides, a decision is given by the highest tribunal in the land. And now for the spirit of rebellion. The leaders of the defeated party who are supposed to preach reverence for law and order, scour the country denouncing both law and judges, and especially their successful opponents. Place the scene back a couple of hundred years and these inflammatory addresses must have filled the country with civil war once more. Then the state of the country was favour­able to any band of fanatics who dared to brave the civil power; and in such a case as this the temptation would have been irresistible. The whole squalid wrangle is over money—a fact not lost upon the man in the street. The blind leaders of the defeated party were not aware as to where they were leading their people. In consequence both have fallen into the ditch; but they loudly implore that Parliament may extricate them and set them on their feet once more. The whole spectacle would be sorry enough were the division caused over any trivial matter, but the result is disastrous to religion when the supreme court of law declares that the majority has blindly wandered from the very essentials of their constitution as a Church.

In England the spirit of rebellion is loudly in evidence. "Passive resistors" are very actively defying the law of the land. They have the same rights and means of redress as the rest of their fellow-citizens; yet they prefer to resist the law. And why ? Denominationalists cannot approve of the schools which please the passive resistors, and as little can these approve of denominational schools. Both have in consequence their own schools, and in numbers those of the denomination-alists are vastly in the majority. How are the schools maintained? The schools of the passive resisters, that is, of the minority, are built, equipped and maintained entirely out of public money, of which the resisters contribute not one penny more than the other ratepayers of the kingdom. The schools of the denominationalists have been built and maintained by themselves alone. They have received nothing more than a Government grant, based on the results of their teaching, so that besides maintaining the schools of the resisting minority— into which they conscientiously object to send their own children—they have had to build and maintain their own schools over and above. All this they did with a patience that passes belief. Lately, how­ever, by substantial concessions, which almost take out of their power the schools which they themselves have built, a share of the rates has been obtained. This act of less than bare justice has passed both Houses of Parliament, received the royal assent, and become the law of the land. But here again the spirit of rebellion fostered by a spiritual system that panders to individual vanity, shows itself in its true and intolerant colours. The " passive re­sisters" refuse to pay the rate, and, headed by clergymen whose lawlessness is an outrage on religion, they have appeared in court and posed as martyrs for doing to denominationalists what these have for years been compelled to do for them. It is incredible what harm is done to the cause of education and religion by the loud-mouthed clamours of these self-styled passive resisters. Martyrdom is too cheaply bought at a few shillings a head to be an impressive spectacle to the most

ignorant. It has all been a glorious chance of self-advertisement, and has been seized upon with an eagerness that rouses the contempt of every sen­sible man. If every law to which we object were to be so xesisted, where would be the possibility of social life, or of any form of representative institu­tions % If, instead of working for a redress of our grievances by constitutional means, we take the law into our own hands all government is impos­sible ; and there is transferred to the things of State the monstrous confusion, hatred and division which so sadly and inevitably blight the whole spirit­ual kingdom of Protestantism. The confines of the spiritual and temporal domains have not always clearly defined boundaries ; and he who is a law to himself in the spiritual world easily transfers to temporal duties a spirit of arrogance, resistance and rebellion. It is a sad spectacle to see ministers of religion heading movements such as this. They teach obedience to the State, and none can equal them in singing "God save the King!" yet the State is to be obeyed and the King to be honoured only in so far as they have the good sense or fortune to pander to the spirit of passive resist­ance. The "no popery" drum was beaten once more, but it is interesting to note that the per­formers were received with as broad a grin and stare as would accommodate an Indian in his war paint were he to appear in Piccadilly or the Strand

But I have said that besides this spirit of open and suppressed rebellion, the pet Protestant theory leads to indifference and unbelief. This is an assertion that may be verified, by results at least, in every part of the country. Never were such despairing cries of indifference, non-churchgoing, want of divinity students and downright unbelief. Hostility to religion, whether such hatred be real or political, will have its passing phases everywhere; but certain it is that the Protestant principle of private judgment is suicidal to itself as a system. If I am free to respect any single portion of Scrip­ture, may I not respect two, three, or even the whole thing? This is exactly where the higher critics have landed the Protestant Churches. Little wonder that students fear to come forward to preach a Bible that has scarcely a canonical book left in it. Or, rather, is it that more tempting careers are opening out in other directions? In either case, the waning power of Protestantism is apparent. The seal of death is upon it. Hostility without and disintegrating forces within, it can no more look for rejuvenation to the discredited means and weapons of other days. With the Bible gone, it is empty handed; and without the Bible its teaching is in no ways different from the ethics and natural theology of the recognised agnostic.

All this we say, as so many nominal Protestants say around us, but though we write it from within the unity of the Universal Church we do so with no gloating satisfaction at the misfortunes of our neighbours. A strong man stricken with a mortal malady is ever a saddening spectacle. We also ac­knowledge that the losses of Protestantism are not the measure of Catholic gain. The winter of unbe­lief is long and cold, nor is the leaf and blossom and flower of spring the work of a single night. How we know not, but we can see the Church far off in honour and place after many years. It is the vision of the unfortunate Lammenais in which he compared the Church to the figures seen clearly at the end of a long corridor. All is darkness along the sides; but at the far end in a blaze of light the Church is seen triumphant at last.

D. M.

IOBAIRT NA H-AIFRINN

Tha 'n iobairt, 's an t-sacramaid so gu bhith 'san Eaglais gu deireadh an t-saoghail, Ios bàs Chrìosta chur an cèill, gus an tig e. Bha i air a bunachadh le Iosa e fèin; agus is i gnìomh de dh'aoraidh a's àirde 'san Eaglais. "'S air dhaibh a bhith ri'n suipeir, ghlac Iosa aran, agus bheannaich e, agus bhrist e, agus thug e dha dheisciopuill, agus thubh­airt e: ' Gabhaidh agus ithibh : is e so mo chorpsa'. 'Sa 'glacadh na cailis, thug e taing, agus thug e dhaibh ag ràdh: ' Olaibh uile dhe so. Oir is i so m'fhuil-se an Tiomnaidh Nuaidh, a dhoirtear air son mòran gu mathanas pheacannan.'" Cha 'n 'eil Iosa ag ràdh ann is e so samhla mo chuirp; ach is e so mo chorp. Cha mhua tha e 'g ràdh, ann an so, no le so, tha mo chorp, ach, gu saor soilleir, is e so mo chorp, briathran gun teagamh tha tea­gasg pong a' bhrigh-atharrachaidh. Tha so 'na fhàisneachd air an urram a bheireadh an Eaglais anns gach linn do'n Iobairt Naomh. Sealladh Protastanaich ciod a' chuid a tha acasan anns na briathran so.

A bhàrr air a bhith 'na gnìomh de dh'aoraidh a's àirde 'san Eaglais, tha 'n Aifrinn a' cur an cèill eachdraidh na Pais. Tha ùrnaighean na h-Aifrinne air an cur 'san ordugh a tha 'freagairt do dh'fhu-langas agus do bhàs ar Slànair; oir tha e ro iom-chuidh gu'm biodh fios aig gach fear ciod a tha h-uile h-earran de 'n Aifrinn Naoimh ag ciallachadh.

'An àm do 'n t-Sagart dol a dh'ionnsaidh na h-Altrach, tha Iosa a' dol a stigh do Ghàradh Ghethsemanidh. Tha 'n Altair ag ciallachadh Beinn Chalbharidh, air an do chèusadh le tarcuis Iosa Grìosta, aon Mhac Dhè. Tha 'n Altair cuideachd na 'samhladh air a' bhòrd de 'n d'ich ar Slànair maille ri 'dheisciobuill a shuipeir dheireannach an oidhche mu'n d'fhuilig e. Is ann air so a tha 'n t-Ostal Pòl a' bruidhinn, Eabh. xiii. 10, far am beil e ag ràdh, " Tha Altair againn, dhe nach 'eil comas acasan iche a tha 'an seirbhis na pàillin ".

An uair a tha 'n Sagart a' tòiseachadh air an Aifrinn, tha Iosa ri ùrnaigh anns a' ghàradh.

An uair a tha 'n Sagart a' lùbadh sios agus ag aideach a pheacannan 'an làthair Dhè, agus cùirt fhlathanais, tha Iosa a' tuiteam air 'aghaidh 's a' ghàradh. Tha peacannan an t-saoghail 'nan sac, 's 'ga chur ann an spàirn cho doruinneach's gu'm beil fallus-fala a' bruchdadh troimh chorp naomh.

An uair a tha 'n sagart a' direadh suas a dh'ionnsaidh na h-Altarach, agus 'ga pògadh, tha Iosa a dol 'an coinnimh a nàimhdean, 's tha Iùdas] 'ga bhrath le pòig.

An uair a tha 'n Sagart a' dol gu oisinn na h-Altarach, 's a leughadh, tha Criosta air a ghla-cail, air a cheangal, 's air a tharrainn gu Annas.

An uair a tha 'n Sagart ag ràdh " Kyrie Eleison," is e sin, "A Thighearna, dean tròcair oirnn!" tha 'n t-Ostal Peadar 'an cùirt Chaiphais ag àicheadh Iosa.

Aig " Gloria in Excelsis Deo," tha sin a' deanamh aoibhneas maille ris na h-ainglean a tha 'làthair gu Iosa a chobhair, agus sòlas a' toirt dha air son àicheadh Pheadair. An uair a tha 'n Sagart a tionndadh ris an

t-sluagh agus ag ràdh " Dominus vobiscum !" sheall Iosa le bàigh air an Ostal Pheadar, agus thug e dha gràsan aithreachas.

Aig leughadh na Litreach, tha Iosa, an deis mòran tàire fhulang ann an cùirt Chaiphas air a thoirt 'an lathair Philait.

Aig a' Ghraduel, no'n Tract, tha na h-àrd-shagairt, agus na senairean ag iarraidh fianuise-brèige 'an aghaidh Iosa gus a chur gu bàs; agus an uair a tha 'n Sagart ag ùrnaigh aig miadhon na h-Altarach, tha Criosta air a thoirt 'an lathair Heroid.

Aig leughadh an t-Soisgeul, tha Iosa 'ga chur air 'ais gu Pilat; agus aig a' Chrèud, tha Criosta a togail testeanais air an fhìrinn air bialaobh Philat.

An uan* a tha 'n Sagart a' tairgse suas an arain agus an fhìona, tha Iosa 'ga thairgse fèin gu sgiùr­sadh, 's 'fhuil phrìseil 'ga dòrtadh.

Aig cuibhrigeadh na cailise, tha crùn dreathain 'ga chur air Iosa; agus an uair a tha 'n Sagart a' nigheadh a mhiar, tha Pilat ag glanadh a lamhan, 's ag innseadh gu follaiseach gu'n robh Iosa neo-chiontach.

An uair a tha 'n Sagart 'ga chromadh fèin aig meadhon na h-Altarach agus a' leughadh, tha Iosa 'g èisdeachd ris a' phobull a' freagairt, "Biodh 'fhuil oirnne, 's air ar cloinn-ne!"

Aig, Orate Fratres, tha Pilat a' fiachainn Iosa do'n t-sluagh, agus ag èigheach, " Seall an duine!" Aig na Secreta,¹ tha Iosa air a dhiteadh gu bhi air a chèusadh. An uair a tha 'n Sagart a' leughadh le guth àrd, agus an clèireach a' seinn a' chluig,

1 Naomhaioh, guidhimid ort, A Thighearna ar Dia, as leth ur gairm air d'ainm naomh, tobhartas na tairgse so; agus as a leth dean sinne fèin na 'r toìdhlaic siormith dhutsa. Per Dominium Oris tum nostrum."

7o

Iobairt na h-Aifrinn

Iobairt na h-Aifrinn

7*

tha iad a' cur na croise air guailnean Iosa. An uair a tha 'n Sagart ag ùrnaigh air son na h-Eaglaise le guth ìosal, tha Iosa a' giulan na croise air a ghuailnean crèuchdach gu Cnoc Chalbharidh, 'an geall air fulangas gus ar sàbhaladh. Aig Memento Domine famulorum, tha 'n Sagart a deanamh ùrnaigh an so air son na feadhnach is math leis a chòmh­nadh le 'achanaich, tha Iosa a' tionndadh mu'n cuairt ris na mnathan, agus ag iarraidh orra, iad a bhi 'gal air an son fèin, agus air son an sliochd.

An uair a tha 'n Sagart a' cumail a làmhan os cionn an arain agus an fhìona, tha làmhan is casan Iosa 'gan tairneachadh ris a chrois. An uair a tha 'n Sagart a' coisrigeadh an arain, agus a' togail suas na Sàcramaid, tha Iosa air a thogail suas air a chrann-chèusaidh. An uair a tha 'n Sagart a' coisrigeadh an fhìona, agus a' togail suas na cailise, Ios gu'n toir am pobull aoradh do dh'Fhuil phriseil Chrìosta, tha Fuil Chrìosta