Free Church Minister and Restrictive Form of Worship.
Rev. Ian M. MacRury, Free Church Minister, of Strathpeffer Congregation, intimated publicly at the beginning of October that he was leaving the Free Church of Scotland, after serving that Church for eight years. His application for admission to the Church of Scotland was to be dealt with by their appropriate Committee on the 4th October. Mr. MacRury stated, “I have been approached to become Minister of certain Church of Scotland charges and will likely consider one from Glasgow.” Why we are taking notice of this matter is because it was “front-page” news in the daily press and more especially on account of the reasons given by this young minister for leaving the Free Church. In a farewell sermon he declared that he felt handicapped by the present form of worship in the Free Church and thought that his ministry would be better exercised in a sphere in which the expression of the faith would be “less restricted.” The sphere referred to is the Church of Scotland. Later, he stated, “In the Free Church we use psalms exclusively. I feel that to express the full Christian faith and gospel there must be some hymns and music.” It seems that Mr. MacRury by his way and in his view of “the full Christian faith and gospel,” cannot worship God nor preach the Gospel of Christ to sinners and saints without the aid of hymns of human composition and music.
What a deplorable confession and hollow excuse this is for joining the Church of Scotland! Who is Mr. MacRury to infer by implication, that those who have nothing but the singing of the psalms, prayer, reading the Word of God, and the preaching of the whole counsel of the Gospel of the blessed Saviour, are not giving expression to the full Christian faith and gospel? We are perfectly aware that Mr. MacRury was speaking for himself in this matter, but we are at liberty to argue that if he is right (which he is not), then the holy Apostles and the godly fathers throughout the history of Christ’s true and faithful Church in Scotland, were sadly lacking in their witness and in their mode of expressing the full Christian faith and gospel. Did Alexander Henderson and James Renwick, Thos. Boston, Dr. Kidd, the Cooks, Dr. Kennedy, of Dingwall, and a mighty host of others, need hymns and music to give full expression in their worship to the Christian faith and gospel? Certainly not. But what they possessed was grace and godliness and the divine and wonderful presence and assistance of the Holy Spirit. Then the Lord’s people were made joyful in the Tabernacles of His grace, and sinners were converted. It is not hymns and organs that the Church in Scotland needs, but the pouring forth upon us all of the Holy Spirit; for they that worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Further, it appears to be only too true that there are two parties in the Free Church, a modern, advanced party, and a more conservative section in relation to the “old paths.” Mr. MacRury substantiates this. He, in referring to his work regarding co-operation between various denominations, said, “In the Free Church there is a section of the more old-fashioned members who do not approve of this idea.” Mr. MacRury does not seem yet to understand that the worship and gospel of the apostolic Church is for all ages and can never go out of fashion as long as sun and moon endure.
The Free Church and the Sabbath.
Prof. A. M. Renwick, on being interviewed by the press on Rev. Ian MacRury’s resignation from the Free Church, made statements regarding his Church’s attitude to certain practices regarding the Sabbath. He was mis-reported as to “Sunday” newspapers, to which he did not refer. But he re-affirmed in the daily press and in a Northern weekly paper, that his Church has no strict rules against members using tramcars and buses on Sabbath for going to Church, but that it is a matter left to the individual conscience. He stated this as a member of the Free Church General Assembly, and of the Lord’s Day Observance Society. In his letter to the Northern paper, he writes, “I have often been a party to resolutions condemning the reading of Sunday newspapers and the use of transport for pleasure on Sunday.” From what Prof. Renwick has declared regarding his and his Church’s attitude to the use of trams and buses on Sabbath, we are at liberty to conclude that he has in view these modes of transport operating, very especially in the cities of the South, in systematic disregard of the Lord’s Day. Prof. D. MacKenzie, of the Free Church Committee on Public Questions, stated when interviewed on the question, “that the Free Church does not condone either reading Sunday newspapers or travelling on public transport on Sundays.” So now we have two views upon this question of Free Church members using public transport on Sabbath. One, that there is no strict rule against such a practice when travelling to Church; and two, that the Church does not condone the
practice. But let it be noted that the views expressed say nothing of forbidding members of the Free Church (and this includes office-bearers and Ministers) travelling on transport run principally for financial gain and for the pleasure of the general public on God’s holy day. We presume where Sabbath trains are available to Free Church members, they may venture to use these also, if necessary, to get to Church services. Without going further into details or the implications raised by professing Christians travelling on Sabbath by public transport; we would make it clear that the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland does not permit its members in full communion and those receiving baptism, to travel by public transport on Sabbath, which transport being run in systematic disregard of the requirements of the Fourth Commandment. And as to the Lord’s Day Observance Society of Scotland, if Prof. Renwick and other Free Church leaders are prominent members of the said Society and expressing the views they do, then it is well that the Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church ceased a few years ago to support that Society. We must be consistent and out and out in our witness for a scriptural observance of the Day which is a memorial of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Free Presbyterian Church may be counted “narrow” in a broad-minded generation. This is no time for laxity in relation to Christian principles, but a day which calls us to hold fast that which we have.
This Year’s Harvest.
Seed time and harvest time have been promised by the God of Providence; and in our own land once more the seed which was sown in the earth by the farmers, grew and ripened in the most of cases. But the in-gathering of the crops throughout the country was rendered difficult and disappointing by the adverse weather conditions, especially during the month of September. Much rain and strong winds ruined a proportion of the crops and held up harvest work in most districts. Floods inundated fields in places and destroyed hay and corn cut and ready for taking home. All this is not surprising, seeing that we as a people are increasingly forgetful of God our Creator and Sustainer. There are reports again this year of work being done in the fields on the Sabbath Day. The public worship of God is altogether neglected by the vast majority throughout the land; and even when a week-day is appointed in some counties for Harvest Thanksgiving, year by year, a number of churches are never open on this day but have their Harvest Thanksgiving Services on the Sabbath, revealing in the case of some, that they have no mind or time on a week-day to acknowledge the Lord’s kindness to them. They grudge, too, and withhold from their divine Benefactor one week-day in the year for this honourable purpose. Yet in face of all this, the Most High is providing for the temporal needs of all the millions in our nation, from various quarters, far and near; and although He has indicated His displeasure in one direction, He has shown much mercy in providence in other ways. The daily portion we receive day by day to sustain body and mind, is given us by the Lord as surely as the breath we breathe. Forgetfulness of God and unthankfulness are great sins. May we obtain out of the fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ, grace to repent of these and all our other sins, and grace to glory in the Saviour, the bread which came down from heaven. Then shall we appreciate aright and seek humbly to bless God for all the mercies we enjoy in providence, for Christ’s sake. “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” (Ps. cvii, 8).
Recent Pit Disasters.
Coal-mining communities, one in Scotland and the other in England, have again been visited with grievous and solemn providences. During the month of September, first of all, 129 men were trapped at Knockshinnoch Castle mine, New Cumnock, Ayrshire, by a gigantic fall of sludge; but 116 of these were rescued and 13 miners lost their lives. Then, nearly three weeks after this, on the 26th of September, 80 miners lost their lives at Cresswell Colliery, Derbyshire. Fire was the cause of this second calamity in the mining industry in so short a time. From the King and Queen downwards keen sympathy has been felt and expressed towards the stricken and bereaved families concerned. But what the widows, the fatherless children and other sorrowing relatives need most of all is the comfort afforded by the precious and saving truths of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was “a man of sorrows” that He might procure the joys of a full and everlasting salvation for poor, guilty and miserable sinners of our race. It appears that however much men may improve upon standards and conditions of work and safety (and these were needed in the mining industry) God in His providence permits and also brings to pass, sad calamities upon men engaged in their peaceful callings. He knows why such breaches are made upon communities and families. It would be well for us to study the words of the Lord Jesus in reply to others: “And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke xiii, 2, 3).
Success in the Korean War.
At the time of writing, Seoul, the capital of Southern Korea, has been retaken by the United Nations Forces, as a climax to successes on all fronts against the North Korean armies. A complete victory is now considered to be in sight, in the view of General MacArthur. The American action is specially praiseworthy in this campaign against aggressors. It is a cause of great relief and deep thankfulness to the Lord Himself should bloodshed cease now on the Korean peninsula. Before this better state of affairs has become a reality, the other problems of Korea have been raised. Is Korea to be supervised as a whole and not as divided into North and South? What will be the wisest and best policy for U.N.O. to adopt with respect to Korea? Truly the rulers of the nations to-day are confronted with a world-wide shaking of foundations and much confusion in political, economic and social conditions. They are struggling away at conferences and talks, endeavouring to put indeed the world in order—and as far as one can judge—without any reference at all to the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, or to the counsel of God’s Word. To the enlightened and alert Christian, these politicians and diplomats are spending their strength for nought, although they may be conscientious men in the tasks they undertake. The Desire of all nations will one day come into His own and be given the honour due to His infinitely worthy Name.
Communions.
November—First Sabbath, Oban and Raasay; second, Glasgow and Halkirk; third, Edinburgh and Dornoch. December—First Sabbath, London. January—Last Sabbath, Inverness.