A FAST-DAY IN DINGWALL.
THE following report appeared in the North Star of 17th September:—In view of the Eucharist Congress held in London recently, Thursday last was observed by the Free Presbyterian Congregation, Dingwall, as a day of humiliation and prayer. Services were conducted by the Rev. Mr. Macfarlane in the forenoon, afternoon, and evening. There were good attendances, some being present from Inverness and other districts. In the afternoon Mr. Macfarlane preached from Isaiah lix. 19—”When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” He dwelt chiefly on the flood of error that was brought into the Christian Church in the course of a few centuries after the Apostolic age; a flood that grew gradually, till, in the sixth century, the Church could not be recognised as that which Christ and His apostles founded in the world. The office of the ministry was changed into an order of priesthood, as a rival order with Christ—the only priest, atoning Sacrifice, and Altar of the Christian Church. Prelatic bishops and archbishops were set up in the Church in opposition to the order of the equality of status among the apostles and their successors as ambassadors for Christ, having one Master in heaven, and they themselves brethren, acknowledging no superior but Christ. To this error in the ministerial office was added a Pope as the supreme head of the universal Church on earth. In keeping with this unscriptural change, a change was made in the doctrine of the Church. Comparing the doctrine which Christ and his apostles taught with that which prevailed in the Dark Ages, and which is still taught in the Church of Rome, it can easily be seen that they are not the same. There was also a change made in the mode of worship. The simplicity of worship instituted by Christ, the only head of the true Church, was set aside, and a carnal one made up of Jewish ceremonial, heathenish superstition, and an element—very small—of Christianity, was substituted. Against this flood of error the Lord lifted up a standard at the glorious Reformation in the sixteenth century. He raised up standard-bearers out of the midst of the darkness which hid the true Church so long. There was then a return to the Word of God as the only rule of faith and practice, to the doctrine Christ and His apostles taught, and to the way of worship observed in the Apostolic Age. The Lord fulfilled the promise contained in the text, and the effect was that error and superstition were dispelled from most of the kingdoms of Europe by the light of the gospel, and many precious souls were brought into the kingdom
of grace and that of glory. Our kingdom shared largely in the beneficent blessing that followed the fulfilment of the promise. We are met here to-day, said Mr. Macfarlane, to humble ourselves for our many sins, and those of our nation, and to pray to God that he would in mercy disappoint the intentions of all that would deprive us of the glorious gospel, and that He would continue the gospel in our land for our own benefit and for the benefit of coming generations. There are many of the Lord’s people throughout the kingdom praying for this, and so are we.
A Free Presbyterian correspondent writes:—”As an evidence that the Lord did hear and answer these prayers, the Prime Minister prohibited the Papal legate from carrying out his intentions! This is an encouragement to cry to Him in every time of need. ‘If God be for us, who can be against us?'”
Letters of the late John Macleod,
ST. JUDE’S, GLASGOW.
(Continued from page 189.)
GLASGOW, 18th September, 1901.
MY DEAR D.,—I have had your letter some days ago, and was glad to learn that you enjoy good bodily health. I have addressed a note to you some time ago, along with Donald’s letter, to Cape Town, which I hope you will receive all right.
In your last letter you said you hoped my mind is not changed toward you, and although there is nothing in this world but changes, I have not changed my mind about writing you in the least degree. But I am at a loss what to write, for if I write about the world’s business I am sick tired of it, and if I write about heavenly things I must make David’s confession—”Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain to it.” But I must confess that the Lord is very good to me, for He takes me sometimes to His banqueting house, and His banner over me is love. But woe is me, for I am not so wise as the brute beast! You spoke about the bees in your last letter, how they gather honey from the flowers; but I am not so wise as the bees, for they are busy preparing for winter. But I am so foolish when He takes me into the banqueting house, and His banner over me, is love; I forget about the coming winter, and therefore will make no preparation for the famine in the time of plenty. The comparison which you used between the children of Israel in the wilderness and yourself is not presumption; it applies to every believer; and if you can truly compare your own case to it then you should be strong in the faith; for this is one way in which the people of God get assurance of their salvation. It is written: “The Spirit itself beareth with our spirit that we are the sons of God.” If we can truly compare the
dealings the Spirit of God has with us to the dealings the Spirit had with His own people in the truth, then the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. I believe this is the assurance the people of God gets of their being in a saved state here. Some of them, however, can say before they depart this life—”I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” I believe that the godly Mr. Macdonald could say this, whose death has cast a gloom over us as a Church.
When do you expect to be back to England again? Do you intend to come home this time? Please say in your next letter. All friends greet you. Pray for our Church, our country and also for me.—Your sinful friend,
J. MACLEOD.
26th September, 1900.
MY DEAR BROTHER,—I have had your most welcome letter, and was glad to hear you are all well. . . . . We are staying with an old man of the F.C., and his daughter is of our Church. Indeed, I must say that I admire her ways; for when I see one member of a family standing firm on the side of truth against all the rest of the family, I admire that one the more.
Now, dear brother, as concerning laying hold on Christ by faith, that is what no mortal man in this life can do until the Holy Spirit applies the truth to his heart with power. For to lay hold of Christ by faith is indeed saving faith; but we must remember that the truth must come with power. The soul does not know whence it cometh or whether it goeth; for it is like the wind that bloweth where it listeth. But there must be a laying hold of Christ, and that is the first act of saving faith. To know sin is not salvation, supposing you knew as much about it as the damned souls in hell; what would that do for your immortal soul? But the first step in the work of God’s Spirit is—one must find out that he is a sinner, for it is from sin that one is saved. One is saved first from the punishment of sin, and then from the dominion of it. It is only those who will be saved in this world from the power of sin that will be saved in eternity from the punishment of sin. He shall make a willing people in the day of His great power. It is great power that will save; for the power of darkness is great, but the power of God is greater. It will overcome all the powers of darkness. The love of God is in search of His own people, and there is no power in hell that can keep back the love of God from His own people. This love is so strong that the Eternal Son of God left the bosom of His Father to shed His heart’s blood for the objects of His love. The soul that gets united to Christ by faith sees Him shedding His blood for himself, as if there were no one to be saved but himself. No wonder, therefore, although the people of God prized Christ as the pearl for which they sold all they had by
nature. But I must now stop, in case you will be tired of my speech. But, my dear brother, all my desire is that you will be enabled to lay hold of Christ as your all in all, and that He may become to you the pearl of great price, for which you would sell all to get Him. To have Him is a greater blessing than can be expressed; for to know Him is life eternal, joy eternal, happiness eternal. Grace be with you now, and for evermore.—Your loving brother,
JOHN MACLEOD.
(To be Continued.)