tle thing. And our righteousness is to be like that, tremendous and inevitable. But our righteousness is too often like a tiny runlet which has scarcely out-lasted the drought. There are streamlets which just creep along in indolence as though at any moment they might lose themselves in the sands. A little child can turn them aside. Make a little channel with your foot and the water takes the new course. You can lead them where you please; they have no power, no imperative trend, no uncompromising destiny. And the righteousness in some lives is just like these faint and easily diverted streams. It is a mere rill of loyalty, and anything and anybody can change its goings. An opposing difficulty arises, and the feeble conviction seeks an easier way. If Vanity Fair interposes, or the mysterious enticements of the Enchanted Ground, this anaemic righteousness is entirely lost. It has no force, no inherent and unbribable energy; there is nothing imperative about it, nothing glorious and irresistible. It is God's will that our righteousness should be like the waves of the sea. Think of our moral energy advancing against temptations with the power of an advancing tide! Think of our encountering moral obstacles and "impossibles" with the mighty strength of racing waves! And think of the co-operative strength of the righteousness of the Church of Christ attacking social evils with all the tremendous assault of a great sea! Too often we only tickle evils, we do not smash them! We flow lazily around them, we do not sweep them away. "O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments," then this mighty wave of power would have been ours. But this "hearkening" implies divine communion. It is the listening of reverence, it is the mood of reception. This sort of hearkening makes the soul hospitable to the divine, and the great God enters in. And it is the God within us Who makes our righteousness like the waves of the sea. "I can do all things in Christ Who strengtheneth me." With God within we are irresistible." REV. JOHN H. JOWETT, D. D. Life Without the Bible A young lawyer, an infidel, boasted that he was going out west to locate in some place where there were no churches, Sunday Schools or Bibles. Before a year was out he wrote to a classmate, a young minister, begging him to come out where he was and start a Sunday School and preach, and "be sure to bring plenty of Bibles," closing his letter with these words, "I have become convinced that a place without Christians and Sabbaths and churches and Bibles is too much like hell for any living man to stay in."--Record of Christian Work. The Christian Scotchman BY REV. P. B. VAN SYCKEL, D. D. There is something about a Christian Scotchman very fascinating and impressive. It at once carries an influence. It was my privilege to know Rev. Dr. James MacCosh, for a number of years president of Princeton College. His very Scotch sway was an inspiration. It started Princeton College on its way out of sight of the staid, even tenor of its way, which its beloved ex-president, Dr. John McLegn, fancied, when he said to me: "Mr. Van Syckel, I should be very sorry to know that Princeton College would ever have more than five hundred students." To- day it is known as Princeton University, with a number of students which runs into its thousands. The inception of its present development is attributed to its Scotch president, Rev. Dr. James MacCosh. "When we look about us and check up the sterling Scotchman, we find him doing something worth v hile. He is also apt to take his bearings and guidance from the Bible, which tells much of the whole story. The Hodden Grey BY WILFRED L. ANCKORN (Marching Song of the famous "London Scottish") Way, way for the Hodden Grey, Way, way for the Hodden Grey, For the lads from o'er the Forth From Tweed and Tay and the Silvery Spey, Some ne'er have seen the heather green Way, way for the Hodden Grey, For we fear no foreign foe For Scotland's might, for Britain's right, And the foe shall shout, 'mid battle rout, "Way for the Hodden Grey!" THE DUKE OF ATHOLL, K. T. And Late Chief of Clan Murray THE MARQUIS OF TULLIBARDINE, M. V. O., The Eighth Duke and New Chief of Clan Murray Sir John James Hugh Henry Stewart-Murray, the seventh Duke of Atholl, died January 20, 1917, at Blair Castle, in Perthshire, Scotland. He was born on August 6, 1840, and succeeded to the title in 1864. He was one of the principal Scottish landowners, being in possession of about 202,000 acres. Lord Atholl married Louisa, the daughter of Sir Thomas Moncreiffe, in 1863. The Duchess died in 1902. The Duke was descended from one of the oldest Scottish families. He was an honorary Colonel of the Third Battalion of the Black Watch and Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle. The successor to the title is his son, Marquess of Tullibardine, who was made a brigade commander in August, 1915, for service in the present war. The Marquess had had a notable career in the army, serving with distinction in the Khamtum and other Egyptian campaigns and in South Africa. (The January CALEDONIAN, 1916, contains a history of Clan Murray, and of the late Duke of Atholl, and his distinguished eldest son, the Marquis of Tullibardine, the heir to the title). A King's Birthday COLONEL F. HOUSTON-SHAW Vice-President Caledonian Society, Lexington, (For The On the twenty-fifth day of January of each year the world celebrates the birthday of a king-the "King of Scottish Song"-Robert Burns. In his essay on the nineteenth century of English literature, Laurie Magnus uses the poesy of Burns to demonstrate the new standards of literature as compared with the stilted sonorities and affectations of a previous century. Burns was the best example to use because of his inborn democracy. As the French Revolution did away with courtly affectations, with insincere, cramped and narrow speech, so did it sweep away what was unreal in literature. There was still idealism, but it was the ideal of common things spiritually recognized as pure and holy. Poetry became an expression of nature and enthusiasm. BURNS' HOUSE IN DUMFRIES No better illustration could have been and has given us to drink from Wisdom's deepest wells.. And Shakespeare has had this advantage that it has been possible to translate into practically all the languages of earth his mighty drama of life. Not so with Robert Burns. Translation robs his verse of its Doric vesture. For idiom often sets the powers of translation at defiance. Divorce his verse from its vigorous native Doric, and you lose the genius and national cast of the Doric speech. John Nichol has truly said that, in his homely fashion, Burns has made to vibrate every chord of Scottish national life. He says that in Burns's verse we have the "vehemence of battle, the wail of woe, the march of veterans, the smiles of meetingand the tear of parting-friends; the gurgling of the burns, the roar of the wind through the pines, the rustle of the barleyrigs, the thunder on the hills." All Scotland is in the verse of Robert Burns. His genius is the genius of Scotland. His songs are the songs of Scotland. It is true that his gold was not without given than the quotation from Blake in his alloy. Yet we would fain have his critics Auguries of Innocence: "To see the world in a grain of sand, Burns, Blake and Cowper formed the trinity of poets who unsealed the well of romantic poetry of the commonplace, and there was revealed by these the beauty and the pathos "In common things which round us lie." The most witching imagery of the written word could but dimly limn the pride that Scotland feels in the fact that from her loins sprung Robbie Burns. England boasts her Shakespeare, Germany her Goethe, France her Noliere, and we of this land boast of Longfellow. For to each of the nations of the civilized world it would seem to have pleased Providence to give one surpassing star in the firmament of literature. Shakespeare has touched with a master hand every phase, emotion and passion of human life. At his command kings and queens, wise men and fools come forth from their tombs and play upon the stage for our delight. He has touched the sublimest heights of expiration ponder his prayer of lowly appeal. It is the prayer of a broken suppliant at the feet of a most merciful Father who never yet denied grace to a prodigal son. So, in the hands of Scotland's God we are content to leave the soul of Scotland's sweetest singer, Robert Burns. The world to-day is in the stress and turmoil of war. Yet, none the less, the birthday of Robert Burns will be honored at and between every cardinal point of this world, which will be girdled with a golden belt of remembrances. For unto Burns there has been builded a monument of thousands upon thousands of human hearts, the warm-pulsing hearts of men and women who realize the beauty and charm wherewith the poet glorified the commonplace with the celestial fire of his genius. With New Year's Greetings-Nineteen Seventeen BY WILLIAM DEARNESS (For The Caledonian) My Autumn! Soon the winter frost Then Earth-born power and purpose lost Nay! David saith: Those who in youth Then when this world with all its horde So be this promise surely mine, Triumphing o'er life's later chills, When vigor drawn from life divine My later years with fruitage fills. Merry To S. C. R. BY N. M. THAYER Merry, my Merry, with eyes so brown, Oh, let me go all life's way with thee, Let them be to some a faithful guide. Merry, my Merry, mine own Heart's Love, Merry, my Merry, come close to my side- The Evolution of the "Tanks" The history of invention shows a great store of ideas incapable of application, as well as a rich record of long entertained ideas successfully applied. The suggestion of a caterpillar wheel is old, and has long been applied for the traction of guns over moderately irregular ground. Many proposals for movable forts with such caterpillar wheels have been put forward from time to time, and we are amused to find that some of the suggestions by Americans have actually been published as illustrative of the system adopted in the tanks of the British Army now in use in France. The Americans claim that they are their invention, and, in fact, that they were manufactured in the United States. Germany also lays claim to the origination of the idea. In connection with the question asked by Colonel Griffiths in the House of Commons on the 12th inst., as to whether the tanks were entirely of British material, it is of interest to point out that everything was of British design and manufacture. While it is not permissible to enter into any details regarding the wonderful engin eering features in the design of the "tanks," it will be found that the ingenuity displayed in securing the long wheel base on the caterpillar chain principle is exceedingly novel and worthy of the highest tradition of British inventive ingenuity. When Mr. Churchill instructed Mr. Tennyson D'Eyncourt to prepare the design, the great limitations of former proposals were freely recognized, and there can be no doubt that the then First Lord of the Admiralty rendered great service in the masterful encouragement which he gave to the Director of Naval Construction. During the preparation of the design and experiments, Mr. D'Eyncourt suggested the appointment of a small Admiralty Committee, which should consult with representatives of the War Office as to the military conditions to be fulfilled. This Mr. Churchill at once agreed to, making the Director of Naval Construc tion the Chairman of the Committee, whilst the Secretary was Lieutenant (now Lieut.Col.). A. G. Stern, whose practical business ability, as Mr. Lloyd George said, had been invaluable in securing the manufacture on a considerable scale of this weapon of war. Colonel Swinton also, according to the Secretary of State for War, has been a most enthusiastic supporter of the idea, and the fact that it was carried through with such zeal was very largely due to the enthusiasm which he threw into the work. All through the evolutionary stage, Mr. Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, took a very active part, stimulating all concerned, and when the proposal for representatives from other departments was made. Mr. Lloyd George gave the scheme his unstinted support. Mr. Balfour, when he went to the Admiralty as First Lord, equally supported the work of design and experiment. The other officers mentioned by Dr. Macnamara as assisting in the work were-Commodore Sueter, Wing-Commander W. Briggs, Squadron-Commander T. G. Hetherington, Mr. W. O. Tritton (Managing Director of Messrs. W. Foster & Co., Ltd.), Lieutenant D. G. Wilson, R.N.A.S. (now Major Wilson, M.G.C.), Mr. P. Dale Bussell (Contract Department, Admiralty), Lieutenant A. G. Stern, R.N.A.S. (now Lieutenant-Colonel Stern, M.G.C.), Captain Symes, M.G.C., and Mr. F. Skeens, Acting Assistant Constructor. It was as far back as the summer of last year that the first "tank" was ordered to be made from Mr. Tennyson D'Eyncourt's design. The results of the trials were very satisfactory. The late Lord Kitchener, as well as the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and Mr. Lloyd George, were particularly pleased with its attainments. When the army authorities became convinced of the utility of the machine on the battlefield, it was decided to build a number of such landships from the same designs. It was at this time very properly decided that the supervision of construction should be under At the control of the Ministry of Munitions, and a committee of that department was appointed to carry out the work. Lieutenant-Colonel Stern, who had before acted as Secretary of the Director of Naval Constructions Committee, was made chairman of the new committee, while Colonel Swinton took over direction of "personnel." the request of the Ministry of Munitions, and with the approval of the Admiralty, Mr. Tennyson D'Eyncourt continued as a member of this committee, and was, and is still, chief technical adviser, and no doubt has worked out further developments of the tank. When it is possible to disclose the details of the design, it will no doubt be seen that in most of these details there is great originality, and that naval architectural experience has in this, as in other respects, greatly assisted the army in the field. The secrecy with which the operations have been carried out merit high tribute, not only to those immediately engaged in the designing work, but also to the workers who have been employed in construction. Although Mr. Lloyd George could not enter into any details as to his association with the idea, it is only fair to say that that vigour which has ever a tuated him was an important factor in the carrying through of the work of constructing the tanks which have been so invaluable, nd promise to continue to be invaluable, at the front.-Engineering. Robert Burns As Poet of Scottish Nationalism (Continued from page 450) Praiseworthy sentiments, to which Scotsmen will respond as heartily to-day as they did over a hundred years ago. One need not be either a jingo or a music-hall patriot to appreciate the war-songs of Burns. The real enemies of the world's peace are not the soldiers fighting their country's battles, but the militarists—the bungling diplomats, and the scheming monarchs-the warmakers.in brief, who sit in high places. There is a bitter truth in the seeming paradox that the politicians make war and the soldiers make peace. For my own part I have considerable sympathy with the nonresistance doctrines of Tolstoy, and the magnificent traditions of the Quakers. But if the world is not prepared to take its stand on that lofty pedestal, why then the modified pacifism of Burns is the next best policy to adopt. I have always had a profound admiration for the behaviour of the Quaker in "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Readers will, of course, remember the incident. Along with some of his friends, the Quaker was endeavoring to shield the runaway slaves from the human sleuth-hounds who were ruthlessly hunting them down. The little band were huddled together on the top of a precipice, and soon a fierce handto-hand fight was in progress. True to his creed, the Quaker took no part in the shooting, but at a critical stage of the fight, when the malevolent features of the slavehunter peered over the cliffs, he felt that the time for action had come. With the remark, "Friend, thee is not wanted here," he compelled the luckless slaver to relax his grip of the twigs and shrubs, with the result that he fell headlong over the cliffs, rever more to wield the lash over the shoulders of his slaves again. Lover of peace though I am, I think there are times in the history of a great nation when it is permissible to say to an invading foe, or to a threatening invader: "Friend, thee is not wanted here." There you have the spirit of the martial songs of Robert Burns. There is nothing, even in his most war-like odes, of the lust of fighting-fighting for sheer love of fighting--that one finds, say, in the verses of Rudyard Kipling. There is nothing of that pestilential cant of the militarist the glorification of war as a school of heroism,as the test of a nation's manhood of which we find traces in the writings of Wordsworth and William Watson of Bernhardi and Nietzsche. Let other heroes boast their scars, Burns's nationalist and pacifist theories, however, were closely bound up with his views on social and political matters, and before it is possible to grasp the full significance of these doctrines it is necessary to bear in mind not only the condition of Scotland in the days in which Burns lived, but also the privations and hardships of the poet's early life. Let us glance at these matters for a moment. Burns was one of the vast army of singers who learn in suffering what they teach in song. Even from his earliest years he encountered in very real and tangible fashion the grim problem of poverty. During the days of the poet's youth, his father was tenant of a farm on the estate of Mr. Ferguson of Dunholm. For a year or two the orld dealt smoothly with William Burness and it seemed indeed as if the family were destined to prosper on their little home |