THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH.
PRIOR to the opening of this Assembly, Tuesday, 24th May, the usual service was held in St. Giles’ Church, and was conducted by the Rev. Dr. Robertson, Whittinghame, retiring Moderator. He preached from Romans i. 16, 17. His sermon contained a recognition to some extent of the low spiritual condition of the Church. “They could not close their eyes to the fact of the great number within their Church whose belief was only traditional, who were without the habit of opening the mind to God, whose instinct for worship in the family or worship in the congregation on the Lord’s Day was dying out, whose interest in the advancement of Christ’s kingdom was weak, and who were strangers to the best spiritual hopes.” Rev. P. M’Adam Muir, D.D., Glasgow, was the new Moderator.
On the second morning, a Communion service was held in St. Giles’ Church. Immediately before it began, Pastor Jacob Primmer rose, and holding in his hand a copy of the printed Liturgy to be used in the service, said in a loud voice: “I, Jacob Primmer, in obedience to my ordination vows, and in loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ, protest against the use of printed Prelatic and Popish Liturgical worship in connection with the General Assembly, which Liturgy is a deliberate violation of the Constitution of the Church of Scotland and the Act of Union, 1707, which only two weeks ago His Majesty King George V. took a solemn oath to inviolably maintain and preserve; and which is an attempt to revolutionize the entire worship of Scotland. So help me God.”
On 30th May the report of the Religious Education Committee was submitted. Rev. William Main, Edinburgh, moved that the Shorter Catechism be restored to a place in the syllabus of religious instruction in the Training Colleges. He gave several instances of teachers who found the new School Catechism of little use. The children preferred the Shorter Catechism. The motion was carried by a large majority.
Dr. Norman Macleod submitted the report of the Union Committee, the substance of which was that some progress had been made in conference with the Committee of the United Free Church, and that it was their desire to continue the negotiations and to report to next Assembly. The report was unanimously approved, and the Committee were reappointed. Rev. Mr. Simpson, Bonhill, moved an overture that steps be taken to form a union with all the Presbyterian Churches, including the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Original Secession Church, Free Church, and Free Presbyterian Church. It was supported by several members, but a motion for its dismissal as inopportune was carried.
One of the most important matters before this Assembly was an overture from several leading members proposing that the Assembly should approve of a change in the words of the King’s Protestant Declaration. They suggested that the words “superstitious and idolatrous” regarding transubstantiation should be left out, and “contrary to my belief” inserted, and also that the closing part of the Declaration with regard to a dispensation from the Pope should be omitted. The overture gave rise to a long and heated discussion. Eventually a motion by the Rev. Dr. M’Clymont to the effect that, as the question was political and might be fitly left to the judgment of individual members, the Assembly deem it inexpedient to take any action, was carried by a large majority.
The Assembly was closed on Friday evening, 6th June, with an address by the Moderator, which was partly historical and partly a survey of present day affairs.
UNITED FREE CHURCH.
Rev. Dr. Henderson, Crieff, was the retiring Moderator on this occasion, and Rev. Dr. John Young, a leader of the old United Presbyterian section, the new Moderator.
The report of the Committee on Conference with the Church of Scotland was one of the chief items before this Assembly. The substance of this report was that noteworthy agreement reigned on certain important points, and that it was desirable to continue the conference, and to report to next Assembly. Several members, chiefly of the United Presbyterian section, expressed dissent from the terms of the report as giving too favourable a statement of harmony as existing in Committee. They regarded it as inadequate and ambiguous, and the tenor of their utterances was towards stopping the negotiations as impossible. The deliverance, however, was adopted, and the Committee re-appointed.
Dr. W. M. Macgregor submitted the report of the Highland Committee. One of the things he reported was that at the time of the Union they had thirty-five Gaelic-speaking preachers and students on their roll, and that they now had only seven. One of the speakers said that if there was financial help, he knew of several young men in the Highlands who might go forward to the ministry.
The report of the Committee on Romanism and Ritualism gave rise to some discussion. Professor J. A. Paterson, Edinburgh, proposed that the Assembly regret the printing, at the expense of the Church, of a document, in the appendix of the report, drawn up by Rev. Dr. Samuel Prenter, an ex-Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland. This document seems to have been too decidedly Protestant for Professor Paterson’s taste. He maintained that the Church of Rome was a branch of the Christian Church. In a small house, on a show of hands, the Professor’s motion was added to the deliverance. Professor Martin, Edinburgh, also moved an addition to the effect that the Assembly were of opinion that the terms of the King’s Protestant Declaration ought not to be such as needlessly to offend the religious convictions of any section of the community. This proposal was also carried, and was greeted with loud hissing in the gallery, and the cry of “Traitors.”
The Assembly was closed with an address by the Moderator, which consisted of a review of “Church Problems.”
FREE CHURCH.
The opening sermon in this Assembly was preached by the Rev. James Henry, Burghhead, the retiring Moderator. Rev. Professor J. Kennedy Cameron, M.A., was the new Moderator. He gave an address on the Conflict of the Free Church during the last Ten Years. In the evening a Protestant Demonstration was held in the Assembly Hall. The speakers included the Rev. Thomas Connellan, Dublin; Mr. John A. Kensit, London; Dr. Hay Fleming; Pastor Jacob Primmer; and Professor Alexander.
One of the important things before this Assembly was the report of the Committee on Public Worship. Professor Bannatyne submitted this report, and concluded by moving a deliverance prohibiting all innovations in worship, and giving instructions that it be read at all ordinations and inductions, along with the Act of 1846. The Assembly enjoin Presbyteries where innovations are said to have taken place, to adopt such course as seems best fitted to restore uniformity within their bounds, and decree that orders of Presbytery issued to that effect are to be obeyed until reversed or modified by the superior courts; and they instruct and enjoin the Commission of Assembly to use all proper means for the suppression of innovations, should they appear in the Church. A deliverance was also adopted, declaring that the scriptural and authorised posture in prayer at public worship was standing, and that the expedient posture in praise was that of reverent sitting in the pew. The Psalmody Committee reported as to the production of their new Scottish Psalmody, which contains no Paraphrases or Hymns, and embodies a number of the older tunes not to be found in many modern books. The time also is on the older and slower scale, which conduces to gravity in praise; and recommendations are given in the Preface to sing more of the minor tunes, which are apt to be neglected, especially in the English-speaking congregations.
There was an overture from the Presbytery of Edinburgh, asking the Assembly, in view of the Act passed by Parliament in 1907, “to adopt such measures as may seem best fitted to prevent such marriages (with deceased wife’s sister, etc.) being celebrated by any of the ministers of the Church, or in any way countenanced by them, or being contracted by any of the members or adherents of the Church, and to secure that none living in such connection may be admitted to Church privileges.” Professor Bannatyne spoke in support of the overture, and it was unanimously adopted.
The writer of these notes is disposed to remark that it would be good if the Free Church was as satisfactory in all other respects as it is in the above decisions, and if its ministers would consistently adhere to them in every particular. We were recently informed of a Free Church minister who conducted a Sabbath service in the chapel of a Scottish Hydropathic, and who not only allowed the organ to play but gave out nothing but uninspired hymns.
The Assembly was closed with an address by the Moderator on Wednesday evening the 1st June.
The late John Maclean, Elder, St. Jude’s, Glasgow.
ANOTHER of the elders of St. Jude’s, Glasgow, passed away on the 12th of last May. He was a native of the island of Mull, Argyllshire. He was brought up in Fanmore, Torloisk, in the parish of Kilninian and Kilmore.
A Gaelic schoolmaster, Murdoch Fraser, taught then, and held religious services among the people. In the year 1860, the spiritual revival which passed over the most of the Highlands of Scotland, began under the religious instruction of Mr. Fraser in the Torloisk district, and a great many were moved to a deep concern about the salvation of their souls. Of these some became careless and bore no fruit in after life, but others proved by their fruits that the work done in their souls was saving, deep, and lasting. John Maclean was about twenty-one years at that time. He was deeply moved about his soul’s lost condition, and ever since continued a serious, careful man. His brother, Donald Maclean, was awakened about the same time, and he lived until the autumn of 1908 in Fanmore, adorning the profession he had taken up in 1860.
John Maclean came to Glasgow when he was about twenty-six years of age. In 1893 he, along with a large number of Mains Street Gaelic Congregation, formed the St. Jude’s Congregation of our Church. Sometime after, there was an election of elders in the congregation, and he was elected to fill that office, which he did with credit to himself and the members who elected him. He was a quiet, unassuming man, but a very firm adherent to truth and straightforward honesty in the things which pertain to the cause of Christ. He was possessed of sharp mental faculties and keen wit, but he never made use of these except for a good purpose. None who knew him could doubt his honest piety.
Last spring his health, which had not been robust for some time past, showed signs that he was nearing his end. For some weeks in March he was confined to bed, and his doctor had very little hope of his recovery. He, however, got so far recovered as to be able to attend the means of grace for a few Sabbaths in April. On our Communion Sabbath he took his place in serving the Lord’s table, although manifestly very weak. The first Sabbath of May was the last on which he sat in St. Jude’s. That week he grew worse again and had to keep his bed for some days, but was up the last day of his life. The end came so suddenly that he died sitting in his chair with his head leaning upon the shoulder of his sister, Mrs. Maclean, with whom and her family he had lived during the last few years. We desire to express our sympathy with Mrs. Maclean and her family in their bereavement. His wife pre-deceased him by several years, and it was quite noticeable that he began to decline in health since he lost her.
We miss him very much, for he was not only a God-fearing man, but also a most faithful and tender friend. His remains were laid in the Western Necropolis on the 16th of May to await the blast of the last trumpet.
N. C.
The late Margaret Macdonald, Ullapool.
WE do not consider it inappropriate to refer, though late, to the breach caused in Ullapool by the removal of Margaret Macdonald, on the third day of April; for all that saw her had to acknowledge her as one whom the Lord had blessed.
The subject of this brief notice was born in Rhu in the vicinity of Ullapool. At a comparatively early age she was awakened to a sense of her lost state. One day as she roamed about, one exclaimed, “What have you lost?” “I have,” she replied, “lost everything.” She thought, at that time, that everyone could see the sentence of condemnation written on her forehead. In her distress, she went to hear the late Rev. John Urquhart, of Glasgow, who, on that occasion, assisted at the Ullapool Communion. As he preached from Hosea ii. 19-20, “I will betroth thee unto me for ever, etc.,” the oppressed was let go free. Her liberty did not remain untried. Satan assailed her with the temptation that she would become a reproach to the cause of God. Greatly harassed, she proceeded to the Communion at Creich, where she heard Dr. Kennedy preach from Proverbs xxv. 2: “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” The Lord manifested Himself to her, through the Word, and after the sermon she said to one: “Willingly would I now return home.” After that day she was never in such depths. Owing to her reticence, we are unable to give a continuous account of her various experiences, but her remarks indicated that she was taught of God. She was endowed with clear discernment. She espoused the testimony raised by the Free Presbyterian Church, and unflinchingly held by it. She had been in indifferent health for many years. In her last illness she suffered greatly, but bore her suffering patiently and submissively. On Sabbath morning her earthly tabernacle was dissolved, and thus Margaret Macdonald entered upon the rest that remaineth for the people of God. “He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so He bringeth them unto their desired haven.”
A. S.