The Synod resumed its sitting, in terms of adjournment, on Wednesday the 24th day of May, at 5.30 p.m. The meeting was opened with devotional exercises, conducted by the Moderator, Rev. M. Gillies, Halkirk.
Southern Presbytery.—Revs. Neil Cameron, St. Jude’s, Glasgow; D. Mackenzie, Kames, ministers; with Messrs. Andrew Sinclair, formerly John Knox’s; Neil Macswan, Edinburgh; and Donald Macdonald, St. Jude’s, Glasgow, ruling elders.
Northern Presbytery.—Revs. Ewen Macqueen, Inverness; D. Beaton, Wick, Clerk; Donald A. Macfarlane, Lairg; William Matheson, Chesley, Ontario; and Malcolm Gillies, Halkirk, Moderator, ministers; with Mr. William Couper, Wick, ruling elder.
Western Presbytery.—Revs. Neil Macintyre, Stornoway; Donald Graham, Shieldaig; Donald M. Macdonald, Portree, ministers.
After the roll was called, the Synod took up the following business:—
(8) CANADIAN MISSION COMMITTEE’S REPORT.
The Convener, Rev. D. Beaton, submitted the following report:—
The Committee have to report that Mr. Donald Macleod, elder, Winnipeg, was duly examined by the Kirk Session and accepted as a student, subject to the decision of one of the Presbyteries at home later on. Mr. Gillies, who was Moderator of the Kirk Session, sent home to the Committee a full report of the steps taken. Mr. Macleod has been supplying Winnipeg while studying at Manitoba University. The congregation are keenly anxious to begin building a place of worship, and we are sure all friends of the cause hope that the desires of their heart may soon be realised.
Vancouver, which passed through its own trials, as members of the Synod will remember, is at present supplied by Mr. Donald Matheson, missionary. Our people in Vancouver, nothing daunted by their difficulties, set about building a place of worship, and had the gratification of worshipping in it for the first time on Sabbath the first day of January of this year. The site, we understand, is in an excellent position, and the Committee feel highly gratified that our people have at length a place of worship in this rising and important city on the Pacific Coast. The people connected with our cause in Vancouver, alike by their hands and means, helped right heartily and devotedly in the work.
In regard to Detroit, the Rev. James Macleod, who intended going out last year, was detained through illness in his home, with the result that, notwithstanding efforts on the part of the Committee, we failed in getting some one to take his place. For this year, as you are aware, the Convener of the Canadian Mission is to give twelve Sabbaths to our people in Detroit. The friends of the cause there, though few in numbers, generously offered to pay all travelling expenses and supply of deputy’s pulpit. This is to their credit, when one remembers the increased expense of travelling in these times.
We have now one ordained minister, Rev. William Matheson, Chesley, a student and a lay missionary conducting services in Canada, but our prayer and heart’s desire is to see the Free Presbyterian Church make still greater advances.
It is now twenty years since the first deputy, the Rev. N. Cameron, from the Free Presbyterian Church visited Canada, and since then almost every year deputies were sent out from this country. The labours of the deputies were first confined to Ontario. Then the sphere was enlarged westwards and southwards to Winnipeg and Detroit, and finally as far west on the mainland as we can go—to Vancouver. In this country we can have no idea of the feeling of isolation that possesses our people out in the new lands of Western Canada. The young people from this country are pouring into this wonderful land, and it is gratifying that so many of them, whatever may be said of others, are keenly anxious to have the pure gospel preached to them, and to have public worship conducted as they saw it at home by their godly fathers. We appeal to our people at home to remember those who are going out with the gospel message to this distant land, and especially do we appeal to the young men in our Church studying for the ministry, to cast an eye on the fields already whitening to the harvest and bearing more precious grain than ever was reaped from the far-stretching prairie lands of Western Canada.
The Rev. D. M. Macdonald moved the adoption of the report. This was seconded by Mr. Neil Macswan, and cordially supported by Rev. William Matheson, Ontario, who thanked the Synod for the interest they had taken in his native land.
(9) TRIBUTE TO REV. JAMES S. SINCLAIR, LATE CLERK OF SYNOD.
The Synod resolve to place on its Records its deep sense of the great loss sustained through death of their beloved brother and Clerk, the Rev. James S. Sinclair.
The Court desires to acknowledge the Lord’s goodness to them as a Church in providing officials well suited for the various posts requiring special gifts in carrying through the business of the Church. They would gratefully recognise that in carrying through the duties of this Court since his appointment in 1905 Mr. Sinclair whole-heartedly and devotedly used his special gifts in guiding and directing the business of the Court in the most praiseworthy manner. His calm demeanour and deep interest in the affairs of the Church specially suited him for the work that he so long and successfully carried through.
The Synod would humbly give thanks to the Lord for the gift that He has seen meet to remove from our midst, and would recognise His great kindness to His servant for guiding him so honourably right on to the end.
As his brethren, we would seek to place on record that his relations with us were of the kindliest nature, and we mourn his loss as a brother beloved. Of him it could be truly said that he was “acceptable to his brethren.”
The Synod desire to convey to Mrs. Sinclair and family their heartfelt sympathy in their great loss, and pray that the Lord’s gracious promise of being a Husband to the widow and a Father to the fatherless would be very manifestly fulfilled in their case.
Rev. E. Macqueen moved the adoption of this tribute, and Rev. W. Matheson seconded, and it was unanimously agreed to by the Synod.
(10) REPORTS OF EXAMINERS OF PRESBYTERY RECORDS.
The examiners of the Records of the Western and Northern Presbyteries gave in favourable reports. The examiners appointed to examine the Southern Presbytery Records reported that they had not done so. They were instructed to examine the Records at their earliest convenience.
(11) FINANCE COMMITTEE’S REPORT.
Mr. William Grant read the Abstract of the Church’s Annual Accounts for the year ending 31st March, 1922, for Mr. Macgillivray, the General Treasurer, who was not present. This being done, the Rev. Neil Cameron moved the following motion: — “The Synod adopt the yearly Financial Report, and order it to be published in the Magazine. The Synod would humbly acknowledge the Lord’s great goodness in the heartiness with which their people have contributed to the Church’s support, and would recommend the several schemes of the Church to their liberality. The Synod further tender their best thanks to the Auditors for their gratuitous labours in auditing the Church’s financial accounts, and to the Treasurer for his efficient services.”
Rev. N. Cameron, in moving the adoption of the report, said that the longer he lived the more convinced was he that the Lord had a care of the Free Presbyterian Church. And he was also convinced that the more faithfully they stood to the truth the less they would need to care what men said. The state of the funds was specially gratifying in view of the widespread unemployment in the country. The balances in most of the funds were higher at the end of the year than in the former year. Mr. Cameron then made reference to the union of John Knox’s with St. Jude’s congregation. The motion was seconded by Rev. Ewen Macqueen, who also acknowledged the Lord’s great goodness to us as a Church in the wonderful way He supplied the Church’s financial needs.
(12) FOREIGN MISSION REPORT.
The Rev. Neil Cameron, Convener, gave in the following report:—
South Africa.
The very gratifying and encouraging report sent us by the Rev. J. B. Radasi is printed elsewhere in the Magazine, and it should cause thankfulness to the Lord in the hearts of our people at home. In the first place, it is very gratifying to learn that they have now received the whole Book of Psalms in metre in Kafir. Mr. Radasi writes about this as follows:—”We have now the whole Book of Psalms in metre in Kafir, and our people are very glad to have them. I remember the time when I first came here that our people were singing only nine psalms out of a certain hymn book. Even at that time they were very faithful, and they never used any thing but those nine psalms. I then happened to come across another hymn book, which contained a few more. They never made a single complaint, but used exclusively those few psalms, as they were told from the very beginning that our Church use only the psalms, and that we do not use uninspired hymns in our public or private worship, and that all who join our Church must understand that from the beginning. They were also told at the beginning that our Church does not believe in concerts, tea meetings, soirees, or instrumental music in public worship, nor in prayers at the grave when people are buried. We were told by the other Churches that we were narrow-minded and peculiar in our views, and that we would never be able to gather a congregation. Their prophecy has not yet been fulfilled, as all our people have so far proved faithful to our Church in the midst of great trials and difficulties by the setting up of churches and schools right amongst our people; but they have not succeeded in breaking up our people, and some of them have had to close their schools for want of children.” The above quotation shows both the wisdom and faithfulness of Mr. Radasi in as much as that he at the beginning of his work there explained the practice of the home Church to the people, and that every one who would join our Mission would be bound to conform to that practice. We can testify to the fact that some of the other Missions there have done their very utmost to break up our Mission by building churches and schools in the centre of our people, but such efforts have utterly failed, and it is to be hoped that such conduct may have come to an end.
The report on the schools is encouraging. There were 320 children in the five schools at the time of writing the report. The two new schools taken up by our Mission last year have greatly increased in numbers since, and so did the other three schools. I expect the Induba school will benefit much by the change of teachers, for although Kiwa Mhlalo is a sincere Christian, he has got very little education, even in the native language. I suggested to Mr. Radasi to offer him lodgings in the Mission, so that he could attend the school at Ingwenya for some time. Mr. Radasi made the offer, but am sorry to say that he has not availed himself of it.
There are now several in secondary schools, as you will see from the report. One of the girls, Adelaide Ntuli, has acquitted herself excellently at Lovedale. She gained two certificates of merit—one for religious knowledge and the other for general work in her classes. This girl is a credit to our Mission. The other girl and boy there have also done well, and bear a very good character, both in school and boarding-house. The teacher at Ingwenya when we were there has gone to St. Matthew’s Training Institution, Cape Colony, to finish his education for becoming a qualified teacher. Two are in an industrial institution in Mashonaland. Let us hope that they will learn forms of industry which will benefit the poor, thriftless people; if so, this will be a temporal blessing to many. Two or three are at an institute for training teachers in Bechuanaland. They will have gone there probably because it is not at all so far from their homes as Cape Colony, which is, at the nearest point, a thousand miles away. I wish it to be understood that those who went to Mashonaland and Bechuanaland are there at their own expense.
Mr. Radasi wishes me to refer to another matter, and I will quote his own words:—”I have just received your letter and the money order for £4 5/; £2 being for clothing the children, and £2 5/ for my personal use. I desire to thank those friends most sincerely for their gifts to myself and the school children.”
He refers to another matter, which will, I am afraid, prove to be very serious, viz.:—”There has been a very severe drought this year, and the crops sown last November and December have been a failure. There is no grass for the cattle, and water is getting very scarce. Famine has set in, and so great numbers of people are on the point of starvation. A bag of mealies” (the bag of mealies is 80 lbs.) “which last year cost 10s., now costs £1 5s. here, and is still going up in price, and in other places it costs £1 10s.” This is rather alarming, seeing these natives depend entirely on mealies for food. Should it become necessary we may have to do something to help our people out there. If we find this to be necessary due notice will be given to our congregations.
Australia.
Although we have had two or three letters from our friends in Australia since last meeting of Synod, nothing was said about the condition of our cause among them. They have, however, sent from Ballina £19 in aid of our Foreign Mission, which is a big advance upon any sum hitherto received from Australia, and indicates a growth numerically in that town. They have also to contend with a difficulty which crops up in several colonies, viz., the Bible without the psalm book in metre, which is an indication that they are augmented as a congregation by people from Scotland. We also understand that in the Sabbath school kept at Ballina by the Messrs. Kidd there are between twenty and thirty children attending. I have had no renewal since last Synod of their request that a deputy should be sent from the home Church. Our deepest sympathies go forth to our friends in their isolated position.
The Jews.
Our people will have noticed in the Magazine that a young man, Mr. Donald Urquhart, offered himself as a student with a view to preparation for Mission work among the Jews. He has attended the University of Glasgow during the last session. We hope that our praying people will plead with the Lord that He will baptize him with the Holy Ghost and make him faithful in the maintenance of His truth and cause in connection with the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and that He will spare him to be a blessing to the poor Jews. The thanks of the Free Presbyterian Church are due to “Passer-by” for placing £400 in our hands to educate one for mission work among the Jews.
The Rev. D. Beaton moved that the Foreign Mission Report be adopted, and that the Synod tender its sincere thanks to the Convener, the Rev. N. Cameron, for his indefatigable and successful labours in connection with our cause in the South African field. The motion was seconded by Rev. Ewen Macqueen, and unanimously adopted.
The Rev. N. Cameron suggested that the Synod should adopt the following resolution:—”The Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, at a meeting held in Glasgow on 24th May, 1922, received with much gratitude a resolution passed by the Synod of Kafraria, expressive of friendship and appreciation for the work accomplished by the Free Presbyterian Church in translating the Psalms of David in metre in Xosa, the language of the native peoples of South Africa. This Synod would humbly suggest to the Synod of Kafraria that they lend their valuable aid and influence in getting the native churches and missions under their control to adopt this Xosa Psalm Book as their manual of praise.”
The motion was moved by the Clerk, and seconded by Rev. E. Macqueen, and the Clerk was instructed to send a copy to the Clerk of the Synod of Kafraria.
It was moved by Rev. E. Macqueen that any surplus, after paying the teachers the amount authorised by the Synod last year, be utilised by Mr. Radasi for relieving distress in connection with famine, if there be such. The motion was seconded by Rev. D. Graham, and unanimously agreed to.
(13) REPORT ON RELIGION AND MORALS.
The Rev. D. M. Macdonald, Convener, gave in the report, which will appear in the Magazine in a future issue. The Rev. E. Macqueen moved the adoption of the report. The motion was seconded by Rev. Duncan Mackenzie, and agreed to.
The Rev. D. M. Macdonald moved the following motion:—”That the Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church unanimously disapprove of the clause in the 1918 Education (Scotland) Act making it compulsory on Education Authorities to provide for the teaching of the Roman Catholic religion in schools within their area, and would respectfully urge upon the Government to repeal this section of the Act as being unscriptural and contrary to the views and wishes of the great majority of the Protestant ratepayers of Scotland, and the Synod protest against the Protestant religion being taught on sufferance only, and would appeal to the Government to make its teaching compulsory in our schools.”
The motion was unanimously adopted, and the Clerk was instructed to send copies of the same to the Secretary for Scotland.
(14) EDITOR’S REPORT ON MAGAZINE.
The Rev. D. Beaton gave in the following report:—
As has already been reported, I was asked by the Magazine Committee to take over the editorial work of the Magazine in July. The remoteness of Wick from the printers was a disadvantage that can only be realised by those who are familiar with such work as falls to an editor. However, this disadvantage was the less felt because we were confronted with it at the very outset in taking over the editorial work of the Magazine, and we set about making arrangements to make it as advantageous as possible. An effort has been made to bring out the Magazine a week or so earlier in the month, so that outlying places may get it earlier than used to be the case. We would respectfully call the attention of subscribers to the notice that all money is to be sent to the General Treasurer of the Church (Mr. Macgillivray, Woodbine Cottage, Glen Urquhart Road, Inverness), as failure to do so not only leads to unnecessary correspondence, but the additional postage swallows up the small margin of profit there is on each copy.
The report was moved by Rev. E. Macqueen, and seconded by Rev. D. M. Macdonald, and adopted.
Mr. William Grant reported on the financial affairs of the Magazine, and pointed out that the income met all expenditure for the year.
(15) COMPETENT BUSINESS.
1. Aliens’ Restriction.
The Rev. Ewen Macqueen moved the following motion:—”The Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church would earnestly pray the Government to pass an Aliens’ Restriction Bill, binding aliens to submit to the laws of this country in observing the sanctity of the Lord’s Day.” The motion was seconded by Rev. D. Mackenzie, and adopted. The Clerk was instructed to send copies of the motion to the Secretary for Scotland and to Sir Murdoch Macdonald, M.P. for Inverness-shire.
2. Overture re Trust Deed Model Clause.
The Rev. N. Cameron brought to the Synod’s attention that it had been suggested, on legal advice, that slight additions be made to our Trust Deed Model Clause. He moved the following motion:—”The Synod approve of the additional words introduced in the Model Clause of this Church relative to property, and authorise the same to be registered in the Book of Sasines in Edinburgh, and also decide that the changes adopted shall cover all the Trust Deeds of the property of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in which the clause, as it formerly read, has been inserted.”
The motion was seconded by Rev. E. Macqueen, and unanimously adopted.
3. Greenock Legacy.
A letter was read from Messrs. F. D. & D. A. Morrison, writers, Greenock, intimating that a legacy had been left by Mr. John Macphail to certain funds of the Church, and asking that their letter be submitted to the Legacy Committee in order that said Committee might give their views for the guidance of the Testator’s Trustees. It was decided that the whole matter be referred to the Legacy Committee.
4. Motion in Reference to Synod’s Resolution on the Temperance (Scotland) Act, 1913.
The following motion was made by Rev. N. Cameron, and seconded by the Rev. D. Graham:—”The Synod renews its attitude taken up on the drink question as set forth in their resolution passed by the Synod in 1920, when they affirmed that it was highly desirable, in view of the grievous drunkenness among the young, as well as others, that Prohibition or No License, as indicated by the Temperance (Scotland) Act, 1913, should be supported by our people.”
There was no counter motion. Rev. William Matheson, in dissenting from the above motion, expressed his views at considerable length on the general principle underlying Prohibition, which he strongly condemned, and gave in his dissent with reasons. It was decided that a Committee be appointed to answer his reasons; consisting of Revs. N. Cameron, M. Gillies, and the Clerk, and that both reasons of dissent and the reply to them be published at an early date in the Magazine.
5. Motion of Sympathy with our People in Harris.
The Rev. N. Macintyre brought to the notice of the Synod the heavy financial burden that had fallen on our people at Finisbay through the destruction of their church fifteen months ago by the storm, and also the heavy burden that had fallen on our people at Tarbert through the necessary repairs of the manse, which will probably cost about £600. This is all the more trying in view of the fact that all debt on both buildings had been cleared off, and now our people are face to face with these new financial burdens.
The Rev. E. Macqueen moved, and Mr. Neil Macswan seconded, that “The Synod tender their sincere sympathies to our Harris people, and commend their case to the Christian liberality of our people throughout the Church.” The motion was unanimously adopted.
6. Sentence of Deposition.
Notice had been received by the Clerk from the Southern Presbytery that they had deposed the Rev. Alexander Mackay, Oban, for reasons already published in the Magazine.
It was moved, seconded, and unanimously agreed to that the Synod meet again at Inverness, within the Free Presbyterian Church, on Tuesday after the third Sabbath of May (22nd May), 1923, at 6.30 p.m.
The Synod was closed with praise in singing the last three verses of Psal. 122 and prayer.