The twelfth head was “Remits from Presbyteries.” It was intimated that owing to unavoidable circumstances the Western Presbytery had become defunct. The Synod agreed to the resuscitation of the Presbytery, and appointed that the members of it should meet for the transaction of business next day at Inverness.
Rev. J. R. Mackay submitted a remit from the Northern Presbytery to approve the appointment of Mr. Hugh Munro, elder, Strathy, as a missionary of the Church. It was intended to send Mr. Donald Mackenzie, missionary, to Lochinver, and Mr. Munro to take his place in Eddrachilis. Rev. Neil Cameron seconded Mr. Mackay’s motion, which was agreed to. Rev. Neil Macintyre presented a remit from the Western Presbytery to the effect that the £7 of salary previously paid to the late Mr. Alexander Macdonald, missionary, Achmore, Lewis, be applied to the payment of the travelling expenses of men from Stornoway who would supply Achmore in future. After some discussion, it was agreed on the motion of the Rev. Neil Cameron, that this sum of £3 10s. be allowed for this purpose—the necessary balance to be made up by local parties.
The last head was “Competent Business.” The Clerk called attention to the subject of a deliverance on Reformation Attainments which was before the last meeting of Synod, and moved that an opportunity be now given to any member to speak who desired to propose anything on the subject. The motion was seconded by the Rev. Neil Macintyre and agreed to.
The Rev. Neil Cameron rose and read a historical paper that he had prepared which dealt with the First and Second Reformation and the Revolution Settlement, and which concluded with references to the state of things in the Churches of the present day. After some discussion, the Synod agreed to approve the first part of the paper, which dealt with the subject before last meeting, and a Committee was appointed, consisting of Rev. D. Macfarlane, J. R. Mackay, and Neil Cameron, with full powers to revise the same and to issue it as a declaration or deliverance of the Synod. (This document is printed elsewhere.)
Rev. J. R. Mackay suggested that some effort should be put forth to improve the singing of praise in several of their congregations where there seemed to be a deficiency in the knowledge of the ordinary Psalm tunes, and an inability to sing them. He made no motion, but only threw out the suggestion as something that might be acted upon at a future meeting of the Synod.
The Clerk stated that he had received certain papers from the Rev. Dr. Henderson, Crieff, ex-Moderator of the United Free Church, which embodied resolutions that had been come to at London and Berlin by representatives of the Churches of the United Kingdom and Germany, with a view to strengthen the bond of peace between the two countries. The Synod remitted the consideration of the papers and a reply to a Committee consisting of the Clerk and the Rev. Neil Cameron.
The Synod adjourned to meet again (God willing) in St. Jude’s Church Hall, Glasgow, on Tuesday after the second Sabbath of November, 1910, at eleven in the forenoon.
The meeting was closed with singing the last three verses of Psalm 122nd and prayer.