Communions.
Oban and Kames, 1st Sabbath of May; Edinburgh, 2nd; Bonar and Coigach, 1st Sabbath of June; Dornoch, 3rd. We are requested to state that the services at Bonar will (D.V.) be conducted in the Drill Hall, not in the open air.
The Southern Presbytery—Protest against King and Queen at Mass.
The following resolution has been forwarded to the Secretary for Scotland for presentation to His Majesty King Edward:—”This Presbytery observes with alarm and distress that on the 8th day of February, 1908, His Majesty King Edward VII., his Illustrious Consort, Queen Alexandra, the Prince of Wales, Heir Apparent to the Throne, the Princess of Wales, and other members of the Royal Family, as well as several members of the Government, attended a Mass for the Dead at St. James’s Roman Catholic Church, Spanish Place, London, and desires to enter its strong and earnest protest against such violation of solemn Protestant engagements on the part of the Rulers of this Realm. The Presbytery would respectfully point out that, while it was open to His Majesty to express the deepest sympathy with the Royal House of Portugal in their sore grief, it was a violation both of the spirit and terms of his Coronation and Accession Oaths, by which His Majesty enjoys possession of the Crown, to countenance with his official presence the services of the Church of Rome, which he has solemnly promised to have no fellowship with, and whose rites he has expressly condemned in these Oaths as superstitious and idolatrous.
“The Presbytery would finally call the attention of King and subjects to the serious import of the following statements from Act of Parliament, 1689, which is fundamental in the constitution of this realm:—’All and every person, and persons that is, are, or shall be reconciled to, or shall hold communion with the See or Church of Rome, shall be excluded, and be forever incapable to inherit, possess, or enjoy the Crown and Government of this Realm, and the people of these Realms shall be, and are, hereby absolved of their allegiance.”
Call to Stornoway.
The Rev. Neil Macintyre, Glendale, has accepted a Call from the Stornoway congregation, signed by 840 persons. The induction has been fixed (D.V.) for Wednesday, the 17th June.
The Western Presbytery and Railway Sabbath Traffic.
The following Minute, adopted by the Western Presbytery, was forwarded to the Chairman of the Highland Railway Company for presentation to the Court of Directors:—
“The Presbytery deeply regrets the alarming extent to which Sabbath desecration had been carried on during the last fishing season at Kyle-of-Lochalsh railway station in connection with the fish traffic. Cargoes of fish were unshipped and despatched by train to the southern markets on the Lord’s Day, apparently without the shadow of a regard to the divine command—’Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy.’ The Presbytery views with much astonishment and profound sorrow that, in a country so long distinguished for its love to the Bible and its observance of the Lord’s Day, the divine institution, the sacred character, and the universal and perpetual obligation to observe the Sabbath should now be so disregarded as to be almost an unknown institution at this railway terminus. As Kyle-of-Lochalsh lies within the bounds of this Presbytery, the Presbytery feel in duty bound to humbly appeal to the Directors of the Highland Railway Company to discontinue operations that undeniably are a woeful profanation of the sacred Day; and they agreed to respectfully point out the following reasons why the Sabbath work carried on at Kyle-of-Lochalsh railway station should be discontinued:—
(1) The work is contrary to the laws of God in His Word which declare that the observance of the Lord’s Day has invariably been attended by prosperity, while Sabbath profanation invariably and inevitably brings down the judgments of God on nations and individuals. (2) The work is in contravention of laws that are still on the Statute book of this realm, and have not fallen into desuetude. (3) It is not a work of necessity, inasmuch as no herrings are at any time forwarded to market without a sprinkling of salt sufficient to keep them from deterioration for some days. (4) It cannot be attended with the blessing of God, who, as the Universal Governor, can in His sovereign way vindicate His law and show His displeasure at its transgressors. Thus one calamity might in a moment swallow up the profits of many years; and it is in the keeping of His commands there is great reward. (5) It deeply wounds the feelings of the Christian community, and if persisted in it will inevitably have a sadly demoralising effect upon many. (6) It is unjust and harassing to the servants of the Company. Those of them whose conscientious scruples do not prevent them from working are deprived of the rest of the seventh day and its sacred privileges; while in the case of those whose conscientious convictions will not suffer them to work on the Lord’s Day, their services are often summarily dispensed with, although in other respects they are most loyal and faithful servants.”
Services in London.
We have pleasure in stating that the services conducted by the Rev. Neil Cameron, St. Jude’s, on 29th March, at Conference Hall, Eccleston Street, London, S.W., were well attended, about 70 being present at the Gaelic in the forenoon, and 140 at the English in the evening. Since then the services have been chiefly conducted by Mr. Thos. Cameron, student. Rev. J. R. Mackay, M.A., Inverness, preached in the Hall on Sabbath evening, 12th April, and there was a good attendance. It is arranged that the Rev. Ewen Macqueen, Dornoch, will (D.V.) conduct the services on Sabbaths, 26th April and 3rd May—Gaelic at 3.30 p.m. each day, English at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Mr. Macqueen will also preach on Wednesday evening, 29th April. Friends who have only recently attended these services, will oblige by forwarding their names and addresses to the Hon. Secretary, William Grant, 22 Winifred Grove, Clapham Common, London, S.W. Note the Hall address—Conference Hall, Eccleston Street, Buckingham Palace Road, London, S.W.
Legacy for Jewish and Foreign Missions.
We are pleased to state that the executors of the estate of the late Mr. Archibald Hutchinson, Geelong, Australia, have forwarded the legacy left by Mr. Hutchinson for “The Jewish and Foreign Missions of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland,” amounting to £59 10s. 1d., and receipt of same has been acknowledged by our Treasurer at Inverness. Mr. Hutchinson, we learn, was an elder in the Free Church, Geelong, which adheres to the old paths in doctrine and worship.
Acknowledgment.
The Rev. Neil Cameron begs gratefully to acknowledge £1 received for St. Jude’s Sustentation Fund from F. B., Avonmouth.