"RATIONALIST PRACTICES."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 869, 16 July 1910, Page 3

"RATIONALIST PRACTICES."

Sir, —The minds of the community have been stirred by tho utterances of Mr. Joseph M'Cabo on the tolerant ideas ,of Rationalism. As one of ,Ins audience on Saturday night last, in the Town Hall, I noted that when he spokeon "Secular Education" Mr. M'Cabo put special emphasis on France; how she has advanced since secidar education has been introduced. Most of his remarks were received by tho audience with applause. I am- sure most of them have not heard the other side of the question, and it is for this object I quote' the following case in point, so as to allow your readers an opportunity to draw their own conclusions, and I think it will . show that Rationalist practices are not so very tolerant 1 as some of their numbers • would make out (I quote the "Scottish Chronicle"): "Relief in Madagascar." "Amid our own elections and rumours of elections, churchpeople, indeed, all Christian people, must take notice of one election in. France, namely, at Lyons. For why? It is an answer to our prayers, strange as it may seem. M. Augagneur, the successful deputy, was recently Governor of Madagascar. Had he not boon elected he would probably have been so still. And ho has been, under modern conditions, a very 'Decius' of that island; everything that could be done was done to repress and thwart the beginnings and progress of Christianity; and perhaps the strongest hope for a living native church there is that God has honoured the workers and converts by allowing them to pass through much tribulation! The details have been frequently alluded to and observed in missionary. magazines; All the Christian schools, hundreds in number, were compulsorily closed; Christians wore practically . excluded from employment, by all Government officials; the missionaries were thwarted and hampered in all they did. The Governor, for example, having exacted from the natives in one district what was sardonically called a vin d'hormeur, a complimentary banquet, made a long speech, full'of, invective, forbidding them to j!,a to teachers who profess such absurdities as' the' existenco of a God. M. ,'Augagneur may benefit the French Chamber of Deputies by his colonial experience;. he may ' bring terror (the fear of non-God) to Christians at Lyons and elsewhere in France; but we thankfully acknowledge in his olectioii the hand of God, answering our prayers, and giving relief to the 'babes in Christ,' the much-suffering native Christians of Madagascar." I think from the above it will be seen there is not much toleration in Rationalists for. the opinions.of those who happen to be opposed to their Rationalist principles.—l am, etc., THOS. M. MTLLIGAN. Taitvffle, July 7, 1910.