The Unity of the Church:

A SERMON BY THE LATE REV. THOMAS M’CRIE, SEN., D.D.,

AUTHOR OF THE LIVES OF KNOX AND MELVILLE.

(DISCOURSE II. ON THE SUBJECT.)

“They shall be ONE in mine hand.”—Ezekiel xxxvii. 19.

(Concluded from Vol. X., page 451.)

1. We may learn from this subject what is the temper of mind which becomes Christians in a time of abounding divisions in the church, and what are the qualities required in those who attempt to heal them. All have it in their power to contribute, in some degree, to the promoting of this work, and therefore ought to cherish the dispositions which correspond to it; although this is in a more eminent manner the duty of such as possess superior influence, or who, from their station, may be called to take a leading part in the negotiations. And here I do not hesitate to name, as the primary qualification—an inviolable love to truth and supreme regard to divine authority. That person is totally disqualified for being a negotiator, or for acting the most subordinate part in such a sacred treaty, whose pulse does not beat high with this honourable and divine feeling. He will betray those interests which are in themselves the highest, and ought to be the dearest to all parties, whenever they are found irreconcilable with the attainment of an inferior object which he is determined to gain. When genuine, and pure, and enlightened, the feeling which we are recommending, so far from obstructing, as is often mistakenly imagined, will greatly facilitate and forward any negotiation to which a good man would wish success.—The next place is due to—a pacific disposition. He who has said, “Love the truth and peace,” intended to teach us, what we are sometimes disposed to disbelieve, that a regard to the former is not incompatible with a regard to the latter. In settling religious differences, the nice and difficult task is, to find out a way by which to adjust the claims of the two—to “seek peace and ensue it,” without “erring from the truth;” and who so fit for this as “the peaceful and faithful in Israel,” who are endowed with “the wisdom that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated?” 2 Sam. xx. 19; James iii. 17. If in any, surely in religious contests the maxim should be constantly kept in mind, the end of all war is peace. He is not a good Christian who does not sigh for it in the heat of the conflict, who does not court it in the moment of victory, who does not enjoy a triumph in sounding the trumpet which shall “bid the people return from following their brethren.” 2 Sam. ii. 26. The man who loves to live in the fire of contention, who feeds on

debate and controversy, whose thoughts are never turned to peace, but are “like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt,” who is prepared to contest every point of common order as if it concerned the common salvation, is ever ready with his dissent, backed with its many reasons, against any ordinary measure which may not have obtained the sanction of his superior wisdom, and who flies off as soon as he finds that he cannot obtain his will in all things—this man is unfit for religious society, and though he may pretend to a zeal for God and religion, his zeal, like his wisdom, is not from above.—Christian candour is another quality which is requisite. This displays itself in an openness of mind to conviction, a readiness to hear whatever may be advanced, a disposition to give and receive explanations, and to pay all becoming deference not only to the reasons, but also to the difficulties and scruples of brethren on the points of difference, and to relieve these so far as may be practicable, safe, and consistent with public duty. It is also opposed to concealment, dissimulation, and all the crooked arts by which worldly politicians conduct their negotiations, and endeavour to obtain the best terms for their constituents. Far from those who engage in this holy work be all such Italian and Romish stratagems! Every one ought to speak the truth to his neighbour as he thinketh, without equivocation or mental reservation: there ought to be no masked proposals—no ambiguous declarations—no secret articles—no understood agreement among leaders—no imposition on the credulity or the confidence of the Christian people. Genuine and unaffected candour has a powerful influence in inducing persons to persevere in a treaty when there may be great difficulties in the way of bringing it to a happy termination; whereas duplicity and art excite jealousy in the breasts of the intelligent, and if successfully practised, lay a foundation for future repentance and disquiet.—The gift of knowledge and wisdom is requisite. This work requires a union of the qualities of the men of Zebulon and Naphtali who came to David, “to turn the kingdom of Saul to him according to the word of the Lord;” they were “not of a double heart,” and they “had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do.” 1 Chron. xii. That dexterity and knowledge of mankind which qualifies some individuals for settling ordinary disputes about the things of this life or in the church, will avail little in the work of which we speak. It requires an accurate acquaintance with the subjects of dispute in all their bearings—of the signs of the times, their duties, sins, and dangers,—of the real character and dispositions of the parties, and other circumstances which may go to determine the call we have to engage in such an undertaking, or to persevere in it;—not to mention an acquaintance with attempts of the same kind which have been made in former periods, with the effects which they produced, or the causes of their ill success.—Lastly, a public and disinterested spirit is indispensably requisite. Those individuals

whom God has raised up in different ages to “do good to Zion in his good pleasure,” have been eminently endowed with this disposition. Such was Moses, who showed himself fit for composing the strife of his afflicted brethren, when he “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;” and proved himself worthy of “standing in the breach to turn away God’s anger” from Israel, when he magnanimously declined the offer of Heaven to “make of him a great nation.” Such also was Paul, who not only “became all things to all men,” and a “servant to all,” in things lawful and indifferent, but “could wish himself accursed from Christ for his brethren.” There are no sacrifices which are in their power, which persons of this spirit will not be disposed to make for accomplishing so good and great a design—their worldly interests, their reputation and honour, their station in the church of God, provided it prove an obstacle, they will cheerfully relinquish and lay at the feet of their brethren.

If these dispositions were more generally and more strongly displayed, there would be no ground for despairing of the abolition of many of our religious differences. Some of them no doubt imply a diversity of views so radical and extensive that it would be unreasonable to look for their speedy removal. But the cure of others may be said to be more within our own power. In vindication of the perspicuity of the Scriptures, and of the certainty of the standard of religion, it ought to be acknowledged that we often err from the path of duty, not so much because we cannot discover it, as because we are averse to it. “The light of the body is the eye: if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” Matt. vi. 22. If those who were once united had been true to their light and single in their aims; if they had lived together as became brethren; if they had been at one as to the ends of their Christian profession, and continued resolve, through grace, to prosecute them, “notwithstanding of whatever trouble or persecution they might meet with in essaying the faithful discharge of their duty,” fewer differences would have arisen among them, and these would have been more easily composed in the spirit of the Gospel: “Whereunto they had attained they would have walked by the same rule, they would have minded the same things; and if in anything they were otherwise minded, God would have revealed even this unto them.” Philip. iii. 15, 16. When we are brought to a proper sense of the causes of our “divisions and offences,” the cure of them will be more than half effected.

In fine, I would improve this subject for warning you against a twofold extreme into which persons are apt to run with respect to the present movements towards union. Beware of indifference to the object itself, or to any scriptural means for attaining it. You are under the strongest obligations, not only to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” but also to be “workers together with God,” who has promised to bestow this blessing. If others err by allowing this object to engross their attention, this will not excuse your

lukewarmness, or your refusal to do what may be in your power, in your place and station, for promoting it in any degree. Hard-hearted must he be who can look unmoved on the wounds of the church, or pass by, like the priest and Levite in the parable, without feeling disposed to provide and pour in the healing oil and balm. It would be strange and unnatural indeed, if any son of Zion should rejoice in her trouble, and take pleasure in beholding perpetual strife and violence in the city of God, instead of seeing it a peaceful habitation. If a true Christian is unavoidably placed in a scene of confusion, he will sigh and pray for deliverance from it; and if conscience and the duty which he owes to God require him to say or do what may prove the occasion of disturbance or of alienating him from the affections of his brethren, he will sympathise deeply with the plaintive prophet, when he feelingly exclaims: “Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast born me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.” Jer. xv. 10. No wonder that attempts to heal divisions have been made, proposals of conciliation started, and plans of union concerted, in almost every age. The importance of the design might warrant them; and though they may not always have been in themselves proper or admissible, nor attended with success, yet the movers may deserve the praise and receive the blessing of peacemakers, so far as they singly intended and sincerely prosecuted an end confessedly laudable. Every person of right feeling will be disposed to construe charitably, and to censure with lenity, some errors and miscarriages which may be committed in the management of such attempts; provided no selfish interest or dishonest snare lurk under the mask of conciliation, and provided the plans do not evidently tend to produce other evils, greater than those which they propose to remedy.

It is no less necessary to warn you, on the other hand, against being ensnared by fair and plausible schemes of union. Remember that the Spirit of Error takes an active part in the unions as well as in the divisions of Christians; and be not ignorant of his devices. Of old he deceived the people of God by raising the cry of Peace, peace; and so successful has he found this stratagem, that he has ever since had recourse to it at intervals. There is a rage for peace as well as for contention, and men otherwise wise and good have been seized by it as well as the giddy multitude. If religion has suffered from merciless polemics and cruel dividers, history shows that it has suffered no less from the false lenity and unskilful arts of pretended physicians—the motley tribe of those who have assumed the name of reconcilers. They will say that they have no intention to injure the truth; but it is your duty carefully to examine the tendency of their proposals, and not to suffer yourselves to be caught with “good words and fair speeches.” Have nothing to do with those plans of agreement, in which the

corner-stone is not laid in a sacred regard to all that is sanctioned by the authority of your Lord. Beware of all such coalitions as would require you to desert a faithful and necessary testimony for the truths and laws of Christ, would call you back from prosecuting a just warfare against any error or sin, would involve you in a breach of your lawful engagements, or prevent you from paying the vows you have made to God. Keep in mind that there are duties incumbent on you beside that of following peace. Violate not “the brotherly covenant” by which you may be already bound to walk with your fellow-Christians in a holy and good profession, from a fond and passionate desire of forming new connections. Throw not rashly away a present and known good for the prospect of a greater which is uncertain and contingent; and do not suffer your minds to be diverted from the ordinary duties of your Christian vocation, by engaging in extraordinary undertakings, while the call to these is not clear, and you have not good ground to depend on God for that extraordinary aid which is required in prosecuting them.

The text on which we have been discoursing, my friends, and others of the same kind in the sacred volume, will, if rightly improved, keep you from this as well as the former extreme. If your hearts are established by a firm persuasion that God will, according to His promise and in His own time, restore unity and peace to His church, you will be kept equally from negligence and impatience, from indifference and precipitation. “Against hope you will believe in hope, that it shall be as God has said;” but you will “not make haste,” nor have recourse to any improper means for obtaining the blessing. He knows to choose the best season for beginning and completing the work. We may think Him remiss and slack in performing His promises, weary at His delays, attempt to anticipate Him with unbelieving and impatient haste, or tempt Him by saying presumptuously, “Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it! and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!” Isaiah v. 19. The check which our Saviour imposed on His disciples is needful here: “My time is not yet come: but your time is always ready.” John vii. 6. He has ends, wise, important, and every way worthy of Himself, to serve by permitting the continuance as well as the entrance of divisions. Divine truth must be cleared and purified from every foreign admixture by its being submitted to the ordeal of keen controversy. The faithfulness of its professed friends must be tried; the hypocrisy of false disciples detected; and the ignorance, imperfection, and mistakes which cleave to the best discovered. God must be glorified by preserving the cause of religion in the world, not only in opposition to its open enemies, but also amidst all the dissensions and rivalships and deadly feuds which prevail among its professed friends. When these and similar objects have been accomplished, He will “hasten his word to perform it.”

Having begun the good work, He will not draw back His hand until He has “finished it in righteousness.”

Are there any who, when they hear of the future uniting of all Christians in profession, affection, and practice, are disposed to receive the intimation with a smile of incredulity, to treat the prospect as visionary, and to exclaim, “How can these things be? Will God create a new race on the earth? Will He give a new structure to the minds of men? Will they not continue to think and act about religion as they have done from the beginning until now?” Hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men: Is it a small matter for you to weary men, will ye weary my God also? Hath He not said, “I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me?” And will He not do it? Let God be true, and every man a liar. When the time comes, the time which He hath set for accomplishing His promise, He shall arise, and every difficulty and every obstruction shall give way before Him and vanish at His approach. Do you ask a sign? Do you ask it in the heaven above? It is He that “binds the sweet influences of Pleiades, and looses the” frozen “bands of Orion—and guides Arcturus with his sons.” Job xxxviii. 31, 32. Do you ask it in the earth beneath? “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them;—for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Isaiah xi. 5, 9. The Infinite One has, in His faithful word, pledged all His perfections for the accomplishment of this work. What resistance can be opposed to infinite power, put in motion by infinite love, and guided by infinite wisdom? He can raise up instruments properly qualified and disposed for promoting His design, guide their counsels, animate them to constancy and perseverance, and finally crown all their exertions with the wished-for success. He has the hearts of all men in His hand, and can turn them like the waters in an aqueduct. He can rebuke the spirit of error and delusion, “cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land,” and remove and abolish all things that offend in His kingdom. He can subdue the most stubborn and inveterate prejudices, allay the fiercest heats and animosities, convert jealousies into confidence, and hatred into love, and having “made the wrath of man to praise him” by accomplishing His purposes, can “restrain the remainder thereof.”

Who is among you that feareth the Lord, and obeyeth the voice of His servant, who walketh in darkness and hath no light as to the removal or abatement of the melancholy divisions of the church? Let him plant his faith firmly on the promises of Jehovah, and stay himself on His perfections. Say with the prophet Jeremiah, in a similar case, “Ah, Lord God! behold thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power; and there is nothing too hard for thee; the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord

of Hosts is his name: Great in counsel, and mighty in work.” Jer. xxxii. 17-19. Place yourself in spirit in the midst of the emblematical valley into which Ezekiel was carried, and say, God who raiseth the dead can easily do this. Rivers, deep and broad, seas, noisy and tempestuous, “on which no galley with oars can go, neither gallant ship ride,” have disparted the territories which the God of heaven hath given to his Son, and prevented the intercourse of His subjects. But He “shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and smite it in the seven streams thereof, and make men go over dry-shod. And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.” Isaiah xi. 15, 16. Brazen “mountains of separation” may stand in the way of this desirable event. But the resistance which they oppose to it shall be overcome, not according to the confused plan of modern projectors, by throwing a scaffolding over them, by which those who have reared altars on their tops may hold occasional intercourse and partial communion; but in a way becoming the New Testament Zerubbabel, the Disperser of Confusion. When He rends the heavens and comes down to do things which we look not for, “the mountains shall flow down at his presence.” Isaiah lxiv. 1. Those separations which have been of most ancient date, and which threatened to last for ever, shall yield to His power. “The everlasting mountains shall be scattered, the perpetual hills shall bow” before Him whose “ways are everlasting.” Hab. iii. 6. If there shall be one that has reared its head above all the rest, and makes a more formidable resistance, it also shall crumble down and disappear: “Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain.” Zech. iv. 7. Then shall the mount on which the house of God is built be established on the top of the mountains, and exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow to it. And He will rebuke and repress the envious risings of its proudest rival. “A hill of God is the hill of Bashan; a high hill is the hill of Bashan. But why lift ye up yourselves, ye high hills? This (Zion) is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord shall dwell in it for ever.” Psalm lxviii. 15, 16.

May God fulfil these promises in due time; and unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Notice to Congregational Treasurers in Northern Presbytery.—Rev. John R. Mackay, Inverness, desires the said treasurers to send in as soon as possible their Annual Financial Statements if they have not done so. These Statements are expected to show the various amounts collected for all purposes during the year, and how the same have been expended.

Feeding beside the Shepherds’ Tents.

I.—THE GREAT GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE TO SHILOH.*

BY REV. RALPH ERSKINE.

ARE ye gathered to Shiloh? O then endeavour to gather others! See if you can get all in your family to come to Shiloh with you; saying with Joshua, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, whatever others do,” Joshua xxiv. 15. O have ye been gathered to Christ, and will you be careless though your friends, your children, be gathered to the devil? O hath Christ brought you to Himself, and will He bring you to glory, and gather you to heaven? and will you be easy though all about you be gathered unto hell? No, no; that cannot be your disposition, if you be a believer indeed. If you be content in your lifetime to serve Him, you will study to your power that others may do the like. And this is the name to make the love of Christ continue in the world; for, when you teach your neighbours, your servants, your children, the way of the Lord, they, following your example, may teach their children too; and this will go from generation to generation, so as generations to come may praise the Lord; or, at least, it will not fail on your part. O! how is it to be regretted, that few come to Christ; and of the few that come, how few do show their love, in endeavouring to bring others to Him? Therefore, O let this be amended, and endeavour, in the places where you dwell, and the station you are in providence placed into, that, by your holy conversation, others may be gathered into Shiloh too.

Are you gathered? O, let not believers, that are gathered to Shiloh, forget their gathering together for prayer; Hebrews, x. 24, 25, “Let us consider one another, to provoke unto love, and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.” The wicked, that are to be gathered, to the burning Tophet are making speed in sinful ways, and gathering in clubs and cabals to hearten and harden

* This extract is taken from Vol. IV. of Ralph Erskine’s works. It is the concluding appeal of a remarkable series of sermons on the text, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” Gen. xlix. 10. The eighth sermon from which the extract is taken was preached at a communion season at Carnock, which played such a prominent part through its eminent minister, James Hogg, in the days of the Marrow Controversy. Ralph and Ebenezer Erskine were the sons of a gracious minister of Christ who suffered much in the times of the persecution. It was through his preaching that Thomas Boston was savagely impressed; or, as he puts it in his own characteristic way, got “an unexpected cast.” Ralph and Ebenezer played an important part in the Marrow Controversy, and were afterwards leaders in the 1733 Secession movement.

one another. And, O, shall not the godly gather together, to exhort and excite one another in the way to heaven; as iron sharpens iron, so does the holy gathering of saints use to sharpen the edge of their spirits in the Lord’s way. But since fellowship meetings have been deserted, many professors are blunted and rusted; several Christian societies are broken and evanished even at a time, when they that fear the Lord should speak often one to another in spiritual conferences. O! if you be gathered unto Shiloh, let your zeal for Him appear in restoring and reviving these Christian gatherings, in a regular manner. And pray, that the devil’s scattering wind that he has raised in our day for separating and dividing ministers and Christians from one another may be laid.

To add no more, and to encourage you in the whole of your Christian course, O you, that through grace have been gathered to Shiloh, take home the comfort that belongs to your gathered state. As to those who are yet in a distant state, separate from the Lord Jesus, we have little more to offer, if you abide there; for, in the Lord’s time, you will be gathered to the grave, and after that you will be gathered before the tribunal of God, to receive the dreadful sentence, “Depart from me ye cursed;” and, in all appearance some here will be gathered before that awful tribunal before they be gathered together here again; it is more than probable that we are not to meet again in this manner, till we meet before the fiery bench of the glorious Judge; and if you be not gathered to Him as an amicable Jesus now, you must be gathered to Him as a terrible Judge then. And O! that the thoughts of this would excite poor souls to think of gathering to Shiloh before they part, that they may part with God’s blessing and not under His heavy curse! But as to you that have been gathered unto Christ I would have you know that God allows you strong consolation. You having fled for refuge to the hope set before you, you may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God that the joy of the Lord may be your strength in the whole of your work and warfare as you go through the wilderness. You may rejoice in this, that as your hearts are gathered unto Shiloh now, so your happiest gathering time is but coming; for He that hath begun to gather you as stones for the spiritual building will never leave the work till the building be completed with shoutings of “Grace, grace unto it.” He will never give over gathering you until you be completely happy. From time to time, the work will be advanced by means of His word and ordinances till the consummation of the work in glory; “for He hath appointed a gospel ministry for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till they all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Eph. iv. 12, 13. He hath appointed these three fearful things, death, judgment, and eternity, to be three happy gatherings for you; the initial

gathering being over by your getting into Christ, after your progressive gathering has come to a close, in you having finished your course, and fought the good fight of faith, your glorious and consummate gathering will take place; the day of death will be the glorious commencement of it. The first coming of Shiloh hath ushered in a gracious gathering; His second coming will produce a glorious gathering; but of these glorious seasons I formerly spoke at large; I only say, therefore, that then, O believer, then shall you be ever with the Lord; and it is for this reason that you are now gathered to Him, that there you may be forever with Him; and so sure as you are gathered to Him in time, so sure shall you be with Him throughout eternity; not only forever with the patriarchs, and prophets and apostles, not only forever with angels and archangels, not only for ever with saints and seraphims, but forever with the Lord, for none of these can make a heaven without Him. Christ Himself will be the centre of the assembly and heart of the meeting; and though now you are but with Him for a start and He is with you but for a moment and so your communion with Him is but in transient glances of His glory. It may be just now you are with Him in the banqueting house, but instantly you are, as it were, at the back of the door. It is only for a little, but then for ever; and it is but a little of Him that you have for a little while; yet then, O then, shall you be forever with the Lord, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thess. iv. 18. Know that being gathered to Him on earth you shall be gathered to Him in heaven; and being gathered in grace you shall be gathered in glory. For all the promises of grace and glory are gathered in Him, and you being gathered to Him, are in Him also in whom all the promises are yea and amen.

And now this gathering of the people here is to part; but, O happy gathering to these who can date their first or further gathering to Shiloh from their gathering to Carnock? For, part with whom you will, Christ and you shall never part again. Whatever clouds may be in your sky, yet your sun is risen and will never set. But the most part of you here were never gathered to Shiloh. And O how can you find it in your heart to go away without Him and without so much as a desire after Him, who is the desire of all nations! For my own part I cannot think of your going away in such a case. Alas! shall He have it to say, “I would have gathered you as a hen does her chickens under her wings, but ye would not!” O! wherefore did you gather to this place if you would not be gathered to Shiloh! And if you be more willing to be gone than willing to be gathered, woe’s me that my text will be no more but a witness against you upon Carnock green that you would not; and that the devil and the world and your lusts are more desirable to you, and you had more heart to be gathered to them than to be gathered to Shiloh. O then, sirs, heartless parting while you are contented to part with Shiloh forever rather than part with a base lust or black devil. If that be

not your choice then let your heart say in the sight of the living God, if you can, “Lord, I think I would be gathered, and would rather choose to die upon the spot than not to be gathered unto Shiloh, and my soul could wish that all my dearest lusts were buried in this green, never to rise again, and that Christ might have my heart forever in room of them all.” Why man! can you say that to the heart searching God? Then, poor soul, let me desire you to take the first convenient closet or corner you can get, and there tell Him this over again more solemnly; and at the same time bless Him that Shiloh ever came to you and that ever you felt the virtue of this promise—”To him shall the gathering of the people be.”

The San Francisco Catastrophe.

THE whole world was startled on Wednesday, the 18th April, with the tidings that there had been, in the early morning, a tremendous earthquake at the city of San Francisco on the west coast of America. The earthquake lasted three minutes; the roads moved up and down like waves; and large, massive buildings toppled over. Most of the inhabitants rushed into the streets in their night apparel, but many were destroyed amid the wreck of the houses. Numerous fires almost immediately broke out, which baffled the efforts of the authorities to check, through want of water, and greatly increased the devastation. The poorer and more commercial sections of the city were the first to suffer, and the part which has best survived the shock is the residential quarter. Upwards of 200,000 persons were rendered homeless and shelterless, and had to cluster together and lie in the parks and open places. Many of the people were completely dazed and stupefied by the terrible and unexpected catastrophe, while some became literally demented. One reporter describes the case of a group of women gathered in the attitude of prayer, with a person who had gone “crazy” standing among them, crying out, “The Lord sent it—the Lord.” It would be good, however, if the madness expressed in these very true words would extend to a greater number of the inhabitants. San Francisco, we understand, was one of the most wicked cities in the civilized world. The earthquake was evidently the visitation of God. Towns within a considerable radius have also suffered seriously from the shock. The United States Government have voted one million dollars towards a relief fund, and there is much talk already about rebuilding the destroyed city. It would be better if there were some signs of a fulfilment of the words of the prophet, “When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”

Copies of February number of Magazine, containing Rev. J. B. Radasi’s very interesting letter, are still to be had.

Searmon.

LEIS AN URRAMACH MICHAEL BRUCE.

(Continued from Vol. X., page 468.)

“An sin dh’áithn Ioseph an saic a lionadh le siol, agus airgiod gach duine a chuir air ais ’na shac, agus biadh a thóirt doibh air son na slighe: agus is ann mar so a rinn e riu.”—Genesis xlii. 25.

1. Tha e na phost no na thaic mhòir do chreideamh a chreidmhich, agus a’ neartachadh an anam ann an aghaidh cagair agus ionnsuidhean an droch spioraid, ’nuair a tha e air a dhòirt-eadh a steach air an anam, agus ’ga dhaigneachadh ann an aghaidh cunnuill reusonachadh, feòlmhoir, agus a ghearan ann an aghaidh frithealaidhean an Tighearn’, agus ann an aghaidh eagal peacach agus tràilleil an t-saoghail. ’Nuair a tha’n Criosduidh coslach ri bhi gu dubhach air a chleachdadh fuidh na chrois, ann an sin tha’n diabhol a’ tòiseachadh ris a chothrom a ghabhail. ’Nis, tha fhios agam nach soirbhicheadh gu bràth leis. ’An sin tòisichidh reuson feòlmhor agus eascreidimh, ann an càrsa féin, agus their iad, Mo thruaighe, mo thruaighe, ciod a ni mi? ’Se so an ni mu’n robh eagal orm: Agus a nis tha m’ eagal cosmhail r’a theachd orm: là-eigin tuitidh mi ann an lamh mo naimhdhean. Tha’n saoghal a’ tòiseachadh ri bhi gruimeach, agus daoine an t-saoghail gu ràdh, gheibh sinn ar rùn air a nis: thainig an là air son an robh sinn a’ feitheadh, agus ris an robh ar dùil. Ann an sin tha creideamh a’ teachd a steach, agus ag ràdh, Marcaich air t’athais. Ciod a tha agad r’a ràdh ri mo Mhaighstir Criosd, agus ri a chranna-ceus-san? Bithidh sibh ’n’ur breugairean, oir bithidh mi ’ar-aon gu maith, agus ni mi gu maith, a dh’aindheoin air an diabhol agus na h-uile a ghabhas a phàirt. Oir tha aig mo Mhaighstir-sa uidheam agus lòn gu thabbhairt do sheirbhisich féin, co maith ’sa tha aig neach sam bith anns an t-saoghail, agus mòran na’s fhearr. Mar sin ma ta, tha sinn a’ faicinn gu’m bheil buann-achdan agus milsead na seilbh na luidhe ann an so, gu’m bheil e a’ dùineadh beul gach uile aobhairghearan.

2. Tha e cumail cridheachan pobull Dhé gun fhailneachadh ann an là na deuchainn, ’nuair a tha iad cosmhail ri géilleadh agus an obair sin a thabbhairt thairis. Oir tha turus fada, agus saothar chruaidh gle sgith, air son diadhachd fhior-ghlan agus neo-shalach ann am fianuis Dhé, eadhon an diadhachd fhior-ghlan chleachdail. Firinn agus cinnteachas an ni so tha e na obair mhòir, agus uime sin tha e air a mheas mar chogadh, gleachd, strigh, na ruith rèis; a’ deanamh strì gu dol a’ steach air a gheata chumhang, agus glacadh rioghachd neamh le ainneart. Ach tha’n dòrlach do dheadh shiol ann ar saic na dheadh thearuinteachd, agus na chungaidh neartachaidh ann an aghaidh fannachaidhean fuidh

gach uile mhi-mhisneach. ‘Nuair a gheibh sinn am fagus do laimh Chriosd, agus a gheibh sinn aon trà do dheadh sheann shearmon, agus tràth eile do dheadh sheann sheilbh agus do dh’fhoillseachadh mothachail, agus an treas tràth o sheann chochomunn beòthail eigin. An saoil sibhse nach fheud so ann an turus fada sinn a chumail o fhannachadh air an t-slighe.

1. Tha e cumail a Chriosduidh do ghnà suilbhir fuidh na chrois, agus a’ tabhairt air a bhi seinn cliù an Tighearna fuidh an troiblaid agus an deuchainn a’s dubhaiche ris an còmblaich e: Bheir e air a chreid’mhach deadh theisteas a thabhairt air uile dhéiligidhean, shlighean, agus oibríbh an Tighearna, agus mòran a labhairt ann a bhi moladh gràdh Dhia. Ciod a thug air Pòl gairdeachas a dheanamh ann an trioblaid? Ciod a thug air Pòl agus Silas seinn anns an phriosan, am feadh a bha’n cosan teann anns na cip? Ciod a thug air Habaccuc seinn thairis air a sgrios? Nach b’e an dòrlach so do dheadh shìol a bh’ ac’ ann an cuid saic? agus an deadh lòn a fhuair iad air an t-slighe o am bràthair Ioseph; oir bheir e do a chàirdean agus do a bràithrean a chuid a’s fhearr do na chrùithneachd.

2. Ni e an Criosduidh comasach air briseadh troimh fheadh do dhoilbheachdan, agus balla leum le misneach agus danachd. Tha e a’ deanamh an lag làidir mar thigh Dhaibhidh, a’ toirt orra ruith gun bhi sgith, imeachd gun fhannachadh. Tha e tabhairt orra na h-uile ni a dheanamh tre Chriosd a neartaicheas iad. Tha an namhaid a’ rùnachadh gàraidhean droigheann a chuir ann ar rathad: ach trid neart Iehobhah, theid sinne trompa uile, leis an lòn a tha ar Maighstir a’ tabhairt dhuinn air an t-slighe. ‘Surr-aìn e thoirn oirnn balla a leum, agus a dhol troimh fheadh do dhoilbheachdan, ‘seadh gach uile ni a sheasas ‘n-ar n-aghaidh. ‘Salm xviii. 29; Salm cxviii. 6-13. Agus nach feud sinn a radh, gu’m bheil an dòrlach do dheadh shìol, agus an lòn air son na slighe, a tha ar bràthair Ioseph a’ cuir ann ar saic, araon milis agus sòlasach, agus de’ bhuannachd mhòr dhuinn air an t-slighe.

3. B’e an treas ni a rùnaich sinn focal rabhadh. Agus Air tìs, Cha b’aill leam gu’n togadh sibh ‘am mearachd ar n-Ioseph glic agus beannaichte, oir bithidh se an trathas ‘sa ris a’ cuir siol ann bhur saic, ach gabhaidh se a thiom féin gu sin a dheanamh. Air an aobhar sin, cha’n fheadh sibh crioch a chuir roimhe, ach rùm fhàgail aige gu dhol agus a theachd mar is àill leis féin, no rathad a chuir roimhe, no tìom de do dhealbh féin air son gu’n oibricheadh e obair féin, no a rùn ghloir-mhor a thabhairt mu’n cuairt. Feumaidh tu rùm fhàgail aige, mar-aon air son an tìom agus an rathad, ‘san doigh; agus mar an ceudna do thaobh na meadhonan agus na h-innealan; air-neo ni sibh mòr dhochuinn dhuibh féin, agus suidhidh sibh ann an rathad bhur solais féin. Oir ma ghabhas sibh beachd cheart air mo cheann teagaig, gheibh sibh na nithe so ann.

4. Gu’m falamhaich Criosd bhur làmhan mu’n lion se iad. Oir thug iad saic fhalamh do’n Eiphit, agus bha e mar dhorus dòchais

ac’, gu’n robb an stiubbard rompa an sin gu’n lionadh. Co luath ‘sa thainig iad an sin, bha iad air an druideadh am priosan, agus an sin rinneadh an saic ni b’ fhalamh. M’a dheireadh bha’n cor air a dheanamh ni bu ro eu dochasaiche, agus ann an coslach na bu mhiosa na bha e roimhe.

(1) ‘Se’n dara mir do dheiligeadh glic Chriosd ri a shluagh féin, mu’n lion e an saic, gu’n d’thoir e dhoibh cridhe goirt. Oir cha robb a bheag ann am measg bràithrean Ioseiph, ach bròn agus tuireadh. Tha sinn ciontach, a deir iadsan. Agus an sin tha e ag òrduchadh an saic a bhi air an lionadh. Tha fhios agam gu’m feum na’s mò do leicheanan fliuch a bhi ann bhuir measg-sa fathast, mu’m bi ‘ur saic uile air an lionadh. Tha co lion cridhe rag agus slàn a tha ann ar measg ag radh, gu’m bi ar saic ‘uin fhada gun lionadh.

(2) An treas doigh a tha’n Tighearn a’ gabhail, crois nuadh a chuir oirbh air nach do bhruadraich sibh riamh roimh, mu’n lion e bhuir saic. Simeon ceangailte, bu ni sin air son nach d’amhairc na bràithrean so air a shon. Uime sin na togaibh gu mearachd-ach ar Tighearn caoimhneil agus ar Maighstir; oir lionaidh e saic a chàirdean, ach gabhaidh e a thiom féin gu dheanamh, agus tha deadh aobhar air a shon.

1. Na togaibh so ‘am mearachd, gu’m feum sibh aonchuid creidimh fhaotainn gu frithealadh an Tighearn do’r taobh féin ann an là ‘ur n-àmhghar a leughadh, airneo, leigidh sibh le iomadh ceanglachan arbhair do’n deadh shìol so a bhi air a chall, no air a dhiom-buileachadh. Tha mi ‘n dùil, gu’n d’fhuair cuid a nis na’s mò ann an cuid saic na bha iad an dùil; agus gidheadh tha eagal orm nach ‘eil ach beag aire air a thabbhàirt dà. Ghabh an eaglais mi-chreideamh chum a cor a leughadh. Tuir. iii. 18; Isa. xlix. 14. “Ach thubhàirt Sion, thréig an Tighearn mi.” Cha’n ‘eil i a’ faicinn a bheag do thròcair ann a h-uile chrannchuir; ach tha creidimh a’ teachd agus a’ leughadh nì na’s fearr, anns 22, 24. Tha creidimh a’ faicinn nach ‘eil i gu buileach air a caitheamh as gun slioichd: ‘seadh, tha i gu misneachail air teachd gu a còir ann an Dia a dhearbhadh; agus tha so a’ cumail taic rithe gus am bheil i a’ faotainn sealladh air rathad sona dol as dhi féin, agus sgrios d’a cuid naimhde, mar a dh’fhaodas sibh a leughadh anns na h-àitibh a dh’ainnicheadh de na sgriobtuir. Is dana leam a ràdh, gu’m bheil iomadh tròcair mhilis agus thràthail sheul-aichte fuidh ‘ar croisibh, air an cuir ann an di-mheas agus air an di-chuimhneachadh, do bhrìgh ‘s gu’m bheil sinn a tabhàirt air a mhi-creidimh an leughadh dhuinn fuidh na croisibh so.

2. Bithibh air bhuir faicill roimh na mhearachd so, do bhrìgh ‘s nach faigh sinn uiread do chreidimh a’s gu buaidh fhaotainn air an t-saoghail; aig aon bhuille, agus uiread do chreidimh gus an ruaig a chuir air an diabhol a mach as a bhlàr, agus buaidh iomlain fhaotainn thar ‘ur n-uile naimhde, nach saoil sibh a bheag sam bith de leithid do thomhas creidimh ‘sa chumas air ‘ur cosaibh sibh, agus a ghleachd sa’n còmhrag a chumail suas. An saoil sibh

a bheag sam bith deth uiread do ghràs agus do neart, is gu’r cumail ri ‘r dleasdanas, as-eugmhais a thoirt thairis mar ni gun dòchas; do bhrigh ‘s nach fhaigh sibh uiread ‘sa chuireas làn-chrioch air bhur dleasdanas, a chum is nach bi sibh na’s mò air ar trioblaideachadh leis. Ach gu deimhin, bu chòir dhuinn a shaoilsinn na dhòrlach do dheadh shìol ann ar saic, ma gheibh sinn uiread do lòn uidheam agus do ghràs, gus a chath a chumail suas ann an aghaidh an diabhoil, an t-saoghail, agus na feòla, agus gu’r cumail aig ar dleasdanais. Tha fhios agam gu maith, nach ‘eil sinn a dh’easbhuidh dòrlach do dheadh shìol ann ar saic, ma bhitheas sinn air ar comhnadh gus an òran sin a sheinn, ge nach urrainn sinn an là a chosnadh gu h-iomlan thairis air ar n-anamhiannaibh agus ar n-iodholaibh aig a cheud làmh: gidheadh, buidheachas do Dhia, cha do choisinn iad eòrlach do ghrunn òirnn’ o na thòisich ar croisean, agus rinn Ceannard beannaithe air slainte sinn a chòmhnadh gu dol a mach ann am blàr na’n aghaidh. Agus trid a ghràs-san a tha neartachadh a sluagh féin, “leis gach uile ghné ghràs anns an duine an leth a stigh,” tha dòchas againn nach d’thoir sinn gu bràth thairis a chùis, gus am faigh sinn iad uile air an caitheamh as.

1. Na togaibh ‘am mearchd air an doigh so a chùis, do bhrigh ‘s nach faigh sibh comas dol a steach mothachail taitneach ann an urnuigh ri Dia, agus nach ‘eil sinn air ar gabhail agus air ar n-altrum leis air a ghlùinibh agus sinn a bhi air ar tabhairt gu’r còir agus ar daimh ann an Criosd a leughadh, trid solus mothachail a ghnùis, uime sin nach saoil sibh a bheag sam bith, ge d’ robh sibh air ‘ur cumail a’ bualadh aig an dorus, a’ tagradh, a’ gleachdadh, gu liosda ‘feitheamh aig an dorus gus am bi e air fhosgladh dhuibh, agus na h-uile h-amaladh air an atharrachadh. Ach tha làn-fhios agam gu’m feud sinn a mheas na dhòrlach do shìol maith ann ar saic, ma gheibh sinn gràs gu leantunn, agus neart gu feitheamh, agus gun ‘ar muinighinn a thilgeadh air falbh agus tarail as, do bhrigh nach ‘eil sinne a’ faotainn comas dol a steach aig a cheud làmh. Feumaidh sinn do ghnàth a ghabhail mar dhorus dòchas, ‘nuair a gheibh sinn gràs gu fantuinn aig dleasdanas sam bith. Air an doigh so thainig Daibhidh gu a chòir ann an Dia a chumail suas, Salm xxii. 12; agus Heman, Salm lxxxviii. 12, 13. Cha robh an duine diadhaidh so cho luath air a chosnadh gu fhàgail, agus gu ruith air falbh.

2. Cha’n fheud sibh am mir do dheadh lòn so air an t-slighe a thogail am mearchd, agus dorlach do dheadh shìol anns an t-sac, a tha ach gu beag air a chomharrachadh no air a mheas, agus cho beag air fhoghlum, no air iarraidh as a dheigh; agus ‘se sin, fàs sios ann an irioslachd, agus ann am féin-àicheadh: Ge nach bi sibh gu mothachail a’ fàs suas ann an seilbhean, ann an teachd air aghairt ann an gràsaibh eile agus coimhlionadh ‘dhléasdanais. Tha sinn ullamh na’s leòir gu ar dol suas a mheas na thròcair, agus gu uaill a dheanamh ann, ach a bhi ‘saolaisinn beag dheth, ma tha sinn a’ fàs sios, mar gu’m b’eadh, fuidh an talamh. Ach tha

làn fhios agam, gu’m bheil iomadh dorlach do shiol na’s miosa anns an tir na irioslachd agus féin-àicheadh. Cha’n ann is lugha air Criosd sibh idir, nach dean ‘ur casan ach beag fuaim air sràidibh Ierusalem. Gu bràth cha’n ann is lugha a ghràdhàicheas e sibh, nach bi ‘ur n-aidmheil na’s mò ann am meud na bhios ‘ur féin-àicheadh, agus ‘ur diadhachd chleachdail.

Tha sinn a nis air teachd gu focal cleachdaidh. Tha mi a’ saoil-sinn nach urrainn e bhi air àicheadh, nach ‘eil croisean gle thròm an diugh air Alba. Ach am bheil sibh a’ faotainn dorlach do’n t-siol mhaith so, agus mir do lòn gu’r còmhnadh gu’r cumail suas fuidh? Tha dà fhocal dubhach a tha agam ri innseadh dhuibh. Agus

1. Gu’m bheil e, agus gu’n robh e mar-aon, na-mbir de phlãigh agus de’ bhreitheanas na h-Alba, g’um bheil ar croisean ‘g ar faotainn ‘n ar codal, agus lomnochd, le beag ann ar saic. Tha saic fhalamh agus urrais pheacach a ghnà a’ dol maile ri cheile. Do bhrigh ‘s gur e làmh an duine dhichiollaich a tha deanamh saibhir, agus codal ag éideadh duine le luideagan, ge do tha aig ‘ar Maighstir saibhreas na’s leòir agus r’a sheachnad, gidheadh, tha mi a’ saoil-sinn gu’m bheil aig iomadh agaibh-se tighean falamh aig a bhaile. Tha trì tighean taisgidh gus am bheil Criosd a’ tabhairt a phobull féin, agus ann an sin a’ lionadh an saic. ‘Se

(1.) Sin a tha anns Colos. ii. 3, “Anns am bheil uile ionmhais a ghliocais agus an eolas folaichte.” Tha e na ionmhas do shàbhaladh anam, irioslachadh cridhe, naomhachadh nàduir, agus do ghliocas is eolas toil athnuadhaichte. O nach b’aithne dhuibh a bheag sam bith dheth na so, ‘ar saic a bhi air an lionadh leis an t-siol mhaith so. ‘Se an

(2) Tigh-ionmhais gus am bheil e ‘gan tabhairt, sin a tha ann an Eoin i. 16, 17, “Agus as a lànachd-san fhuair sinn uile, agus gràs air son gràs. Oir thugadh an lagh le Maois, ach thainig an gràs agus an fhirinn le Iosa Criosd.” O ‘mhuiintir ionmhuinn, an aithne dhuibh ciod e sin, a bhi air bhur deanamh suas as an lànachd a ta ann an Criosd, tobair a ghràis neartachaidh.

(3.) Tha e ga’n tabhairt a dh’ionnsuidh tigh-ionmhais a mhaithéis, le toil-inntinn làn fhreagaireach. Salm xxxi. 19. “Cia mòr do mhaithéis, a thaig thu dhoibhsan d’an eagal thu.” Agus tha làn fhios agam, ma fhuair sibh na trì tighean-taisgidh so, gu’n d’fhuair sibh dorlach do shiol maith ann bhur saic. Se’n

2 Focal dubhach a th’ agam r’a innseadh dhuibh, agus cha’n ‘eil mi ‘g iarraidh mòr fhàistneachd a dheanamh ‘an so; ach bheiream-sa cinnte dhuibh, gu’n tuit iomadh air an t-slighe mu’n croichnaichear an t-iomlan. Bithidh iomadh luchd aidmheil marbh ‘san raon ann an’ Alba, mu’m faigh sinne a mach as an Eiphit, trid na fàsaich, agus gu crich air n-uile thrioblaidean. Tha mi ‘ga radh, agus seasaoidh mi ris, gu’n tionndaidh mòran an cùl fathast air an Eaglais, agus rachadh osag-storm a seachad.— ‘Seadh ma ta, tha na’s leòir aig Ioseph, ma ghabhas sibhse e, agus ma ni sibh feum dheth. Ach mo thraighe! tha mi a’ smuain-eachadh gu’m bheil bhur saic air brothadh, agus bhur soithichean

a’ sealtainn mar nach cumadh iad uisge sam bith. Cridheachan air an ullachadh gu gabhail ri tròcair Dhia, tha e toileach a thoirt seachad, agus a’ ceadachadh do a shluagh féin; ach tha iad cosmhail ri bhi gle ghann ann an Alba. ‘Seadh ma ta, ullaichibh bhur saic, agus leasaichibh iad, oir tha na’s leoir aig ‘ur n-Ioseph a chum an lionadh. The ceithir reubaidheanannt a ni am milleadh, mur dean sibh an càradh.

1. Is e a h-aon diubh, Neo-chaomhalachd a thaobh na firinn, agus aobhairean gloir-mhoir rioghachd Chriosd. Tha eagal orm gu’m bi so na aon de na reubaidhean ann an saic iomadh.

2. Is e an dara h-aon, Easbhuidh cridhe air a lionadh le iarrtais neamhaidh ann an geall air Criosd, agus air a lànachd-san.

3. An treas reubadh, Easbhuidh cridhe, air a bhlàthachadh agus a’ losgadh le gràdh do Dhia, agus eud cheart air son aobhairean a ghloir.

4. Easbhuidh cridhe air a ghlanadh trid creidimh ann an Criosd, air a chumail ann an cleachdadh, gus an sgùm a thilgeadh suas, agus uile ghruid na truaillidheachd oibreachadh a mach le flor aithreachas agus claoidheadh. O feuchaibh ris na reubaidhean so ann bhur saic a chàradh, air doigh sam bith eile cha dean sibh ach droch thurus do’n Eiphit. Tha iarrtais naomh agus neamhaidh air dol air falbh. Tha’n fheòil naomha air imeachd air falbh, agus tha sin na reubadh mòr ann bhur saic. Air son gràdh, cha robh e riamh na’s fuair na tha e nis. Tha mòran coslach ri bàsachadh, aig éigheach a mach agus cosmhail ri toirt thairis, agus tha ‘ar n-Ioseph beannaichte ag ràdh, co is urrainn a leasachadh? Oir tha ‘choire aig bhur dorus féin. Na’n iarradh sibh le na’s mò do chreidimh, gheibheadh sibh na bu mhò. Na’n gràdhaicheadh sibh na bu mhò, bhiodh na bu mhò do chothrom agaibh air a bhi air bhur gràdhaichadh. Cia maith a ta briathran Chriosd a nis air an coimhlonadh, gu’n rachadh peacadh am meud, agus gu’m fuaraicheadh gaol mòran. Cha’n ‘eil a bheag a’ deanamh an talamh so na’s cosmhail ri ifrinn na’m peacadh, agus a luchd aiteachaidh na’s cosmhail ri spioradaibh damnaite na bhi as eugmhais flor ghràdh Criosduidh: oir cha’n ‘eil a bheag ann an ifrinn ach peacadh; agus cha’n ‘eil a bheag ann an cridhe a mhuinntir dhamnaite, ach fior ghamhlas agus fuath ann an aghaidh Dhia agus a cheile.

(Rì leantuin.)

Ralph Erskine’s “Believer’s Riddle” in Gaelic.—In the October number of the Celtic Review, the Rev. A. MacLean Sinclair has an interesting article on the late Rev. Dr. Blair, who died at Barney’s River (the Abhainn Bharnaiddh of John MacLean, the Gaelic bard), Prince Edward Island, in 1893. Dr. Blair was a poet of no mean ability, and among other efforts of his muse he left a Gaelic translation of Ralph Erskine’s rich gospel poem, the “Believer’s Riddle.” Rev. A. MacLean Sinclair is willing to give a copy of the translation to any one who promises to publish it in pamphlet form.