In Defence of the Lord’s Day.—The Lord’s Day Quarterly, in its July issue, has a report of an interesting meeting in defence of the Lord’s Day, presided over by Col. Granville Smith, C.V.O., C.B. Professor Beresford Pite, in his address, said that the terms, “obligation,” “perpetual,” and “divine authority,” were terms that pinched the natural man. The day was of divine authority, and the obligation was contained in the Decalogue. We had no right to distinguish between the Commandments. The divine obligation, however, was accompanied by spiritual blessing. Love of God constrained us to keep His Commandments. Love of His will, of His Word, and of His day, were essential parts of our religion. The Lord’s Day was valuable evidence of the existence of God, of the will of God, of the love of God, and of the rest that remaineth to the people of God.
Sabbath Trading in Glasgow.—The extent to which Sabbath trading is carried on in some of our larger towns is alarming. In Glasgow a census of the shops and places of business was taken on the 7th June. Among the shops opened were fruiters, grocers, greengrocers, milk shops, eating-houses, oyster and fish bars, news-rooms, picture-frame makers, tobacconists, coal dealers, stationery, ice-cream saloons, barbers’ shops, and photographic premises. The total number engaged was 4,115. Of that number, 2,633 were males, 1,452 females ; 3,340 were British, and 775 foreign. Surely it is time something was done for the sake of these thousands.—English Churchman.
A Message from John Knox.—In his First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment [Rule] of Women, Knox has the following trenchant paragraph :—”Seeing that, by the order of nature, by the malediction and curse pronounced against woman by the mouth of St. Paul, the interpreter of God’s sentence, by the example of that commonwealth in which God by His Word planted order and policy, and, finally, by the judgment of the most godly writers, God hath dejected woman from rule, dominion, empire, and authority above man. Let all men take heed what quarrel and cause from henceforth they do defend.”
Church Notes.
Communions.—Dingwall, first Sabbath of August ; Portree (Skye), second ; Bonar (Creich), third ; Stornoway, fifth. Ullapool (Ross), Vatten (Skye), and Stratherrick, first Sabbath of September ; Broadford (Skye), and Strathy (Sutherlandshire), second.
Day of Humiliation.—The attention of people throughout the Church is hereby called to the fact that the Synod has appointed (D.V.) Wednesday, 19th August, as a Day of Humiliation and Prayer, in view of the proposed Home Rule for Ireland as a menace to the civil and religious liberties and peace of the three kingdoms. The Synod agreed to recommend Thursday, the 20th August, for this purpose, if found a more suitable day in certain localities.
Prospective Ordination of Rev. D. A. Macfarlane.—Rev. D. A. Macfarlane, M.A., probationer, Inverness, has accepted a Call to the united congregations of Dornoch, Lairg, Bonar, and Rogart, Sutherlandshire, and the Northern Presbytery have agreed (D.V.) to meet at Bonar, on Monday, 17th August, for the purpose of ordaining and inducting Mr. Macfarlane to this charge.
Synod’s Loyal Address to the King.—The following Loyal Address to His Majesty King George V. has been forwarded by the Committee of Synod :—
“A Loyal Address from the Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland. To His Most Excellent Majesty GEORGE V., King of Great Britain and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc.
“May it please your Majesty,—We, the Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, desire to renew our sincere expressions of loyalty to your Majesty’s person and throne, and to declare it to be our earnest prayer that your Majesty’s reign may, by the divine favour, be a long and truly prosperous one. Believing, as we do, that the Protestantism of Great Britain is the secret of her national strength, and that Popery is a menace to her stability and peace, we cannot but sympathise with our fellow-Protestants in Ireland at the present crisis, and with the utmost humility we would respectfully venture to plead with your Majesty not to set the great seal to the present Home Rule Measure for Ireland—which we greatly fear may lead to bloodshed—until at least the country as a whole more definitely pronounce judgment in its favour. Our prayer to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is that your Majesty may be guided by the Divine Spirit in these perplexing times, to do what is best for the glory of God and for the advancement of His kingdom.
“It is our earnest desire that your Majesty and Queen Mary may reign, in the fear of God, over a united and prosperous people for many years to come.
“In the name of the Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland,
(Signed) ANDREW SUTHERLAND, Moderator.
(“,”) JAMES S. SINCLAIR, Clerk.”
Acknowledgments.—Mr. Angus Clunas, General Treasurer, 35 Ardconnel Terrace, Inverness, begs to acknowledge, with thanks, the following donations :—For Sustentation Fund—£20 from “A Friend,” Lairg, per Rev. D. Beaton ; 10/ from “A
Friend,” New Zealand, 5/ from same, for Foreign Missions, and 5/ for Translation of Psalms into Kaffir, per Rev. E. Macqueen. For Home Mission Fund—20/ from Mr. Campbell, Perth, per Mr. D. Fraser; 20/ from “A Reader of Magazine,” Isle of Skye. For Foreign Missions—£2 1/1 from Mr. Phineas Macdonald, Newton, Ontario, per Rev. J. R. Mackay; 10/ from “A Friend,” Gairloch; 10/ from “D. F.,” Gairloch, and 10/ from “A Friend,” Lochcarron, for Kaffir Psalms, per Rev. N. Cameron; 8/2 from Miss MacVean, Tantallon, Sask., Canada, for Kaffir Psalms, per Rev. J. S. Sinclair; and 10/ from Nurse B. Macleod, Nahout, U.S.A., for Matabele Building Fund. For Kaffir Mission—12/4 from Misses Munro, Simcoe, Ontario.
Rev. Neil Macintyre, Stornoway, acknowledges, with thanks, £3 5s., per Mr. Norman Macleod, from “Friends in New York,” towards the Stornoway Church Fund.
The Treasurer of the Free Presbyterian Congregation, Dingwall, begs to acknowledge with thanks, the sum of two pounds, received from “Friends,” for the Manse Building Fund.
The Magazine.
Notice to Subscribers.—We respectfully remind subscribers that April was the last month of the Magazine year, and that payments due for past and future will now much oblige. All who order directly from the Editor and Treasurer are requested to send their subscriptions to address, 248 Kenmure Street, Pollokshields, Glasgow. Readers are also reminded that it is not our practice to stop a Magazine immediately the payment is run out, unless expressly told to do so, and we therefore earnestly request readers who desire the Magazine to be stopped at a certain time to give us distinct notice of the same. Timely notice should also be given us of all changes of address.
Correction.—In last number, on page III, in twelfth line from foot, “herself,” should read “themselves.”
Subscriptions Received for Magazine.—R. Macleod, First Coast, Aultbea, 2/6; J. Ross, Markethill, Watten, 2/6; Mrs. J. R. Macrae, Kyle, 5/; D. Macdonald, St. Andrews, 2/6; K. Macleod, Kishorn, 5/; Miss A. Stewart, Greenock, 2/6; Miss Macintosh, Rha, Uig, Skye, 2/6; N. Munro, Cross St., Partick, 2/6; L. Mackenzie, Caledonian Buildings, Ullapool, 2/6; Miss Watson, Crieff, 5/; Mrs. D. MacSwan, Borve, Portree, 2/6; W. Mackay, Kinbrace, 2/6; H. Maclean, Lochinver, 2/6; M. Beaton, Waternish, 2/3; Mrs. Mackay, Overscaig, 2/6, and Free Circulation, 2/6; K. Mackenzie, Laid-off-Reef, Coigach, 2/6; Mrs. Campbell, Portorhall, Coalburn, 2/6, and donation, 2/6; Mrs. J. Sinclair, Westerdale, 2/6; L. Mackenzie, Ullapool, 2/6; J. Macdonald, East End, Strathcannaird, 2/6; K. Munro, Ardcharnich, 2/6; D. A. Macleod, Tarbert, Scourie, 2/6; Rev. A. Sutherland, Ullapool, 2/6; Rev. A. Mackay, Oban, 2/6; G. Mackay, Todholes, Thurso, 2/6; Mrs. Mackinnon, Chapelhall, 2/6; S. F. Paul, Hove, Brighton, 2/6; J. Mackenzie, Saltburn, Invergordon, 2/6; Mrs. Miller, Port Dover, Ontario, 2/6, and Free Circulation, 1/6; Miss L. A. Morrison, Kincardine, Ont., 4/; H. Mackenzie, Princess St., Kincardine, Ont., and K. Cameron, Kincardine, 2/6 each, and Free Circulation, 3/2; Nurse Macleod, Nahant, U.S.A., 5/; D. Clark, Pittsburg, U.S.A., 5/.
(A number of Subscriptions are held over till next month.)