Communions.
January—Fourth Sabbath, Inverness. February—First Sabbath, Dingwall, third, Stornoway; fourth, North Uist. March—First Sabbath, Ullapool; second, Ness and Portree; third, Finsbay and Lochinver; fourth, Kinlochbervie; fifth, North Tolsta. April—First Sabbath, Achmore, Portnalong, Fort William, Stoer and London; third, Greenock; fourth, Glasgow and Wick. May—First Sabbath, Kames and Oban, second, Scourie; third, Edinburgh. June—First Sabbath, Tarbert, Applecross, Coigach; second, Shieldaig; third Lochcarron, Glendale, Helmsdale, Dornoch and Uig; fourth, Gairloch and Broadford; fifth, Inverness. July—First Sabbath, Lairg, Raasay and Beauly; second, Staffin, Tomatin and Tain; third, Halkirk, Rogart, Flashadder and Daviot; fourth, Achmore, Bracadale, North Uist and Plockton. August—First Sabbath, Dingwall and Vancouver (Canada); second, Portree and Stratherrick; third, Bonar, Finsbay and Laide; fourth, Vatten; fifth, Stornoway and Thurso. September—First Sabbath, Ullapool and Breasclete; second, Strathy; third, Tarbert and Stoer; fourth, Applecross. October—First Sabbath, Tolsta and Lochcarron; second, Gairloch and Ness; fourth, Greenock, Lochinver and Wick. November—First Sabbath, Oban and Raasay; second, Glasgow and Halkirk; third, Edinburgh, Dornoch and Uig. December—First Sabbath, London.
SPECIAL NOTICE: All changes in above Communion dates to be notified to Editor, for 1958 (D.V.).
London Communion Services.
The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, London Congregation, St. Michael’s Hall, Eccleston Place, opposite Victoria Coach Station, Buckingham Palace Road, London, S.W.1. In connection with the dispensation of the Lord’s Supper on Sabbath, 7th December, 1958, the following services have been arranged (D.V.), to be conducted by the Rev. James MacLeod, Greenock, and the Rev. Fraser MacDonald, M.A., North Tolsta, Isle of Lewis:—Thursday, 4th December, 7 p.m.; Friday, 5th December, 3.30 p.m. (Gaelic) and 7 p.m. (Fellowship Meeting); Saturday, 6th December, 3.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. (Prayer Meeting); Sabbath, 7th December, 11 a.m., 3.30 p.m. (Gaelic), with an English service in Bridewell Hall simultaneously, and 7 p.m.; Monday 8th December, 3.30 p.m. (Gaelic) and 7 p.m. For the benefit of those living in outlying districts, let them note that all the week-day services will be held in the Bridewell Hall, London City Mission, Eccleston Place, and also the 3.30 p.m. English service on Sabbath, and only the Sabbath services, morning, afternoon and evening in St. Michael’s Hall.
Services are held every Sabbath in St. Michael’s Hall at 11 a.m., 3.45 p.m. (Gaelic) and 7 p.m. Weekly Prayer Meeting in Bridewell Hall, Eccleston Place, S.W.1.
Student Received.
At a meeting of the Outer Isles Presbytery, convened at Stornoway, on Tuesday, 23rd September, 1958, Mr. Alfred E. W. Macdonald, M.A., was received as a student studying for the ministry of the church.
Fraser Macdonald, Clerk of Presbytery.
Letter from Rhodesian Mission.
Mbuma Mission,
P. B. T. 198, Bulawayo.
10th September, 1958.
My dear Mr. Sinclair,
We had communion services at Nkai last weekend and had a very pleasant season. Mr. Mzamo and I shared the services which were well attended throughout. On Sabbath there were contingents from Nkuba, Matitshanini, Zenka and Mbuma. At the close of the Sabbath services one of our young men said, “Yesterday I felt so unfit to go to the Lord’s Table that I decided not to attend the services at all. Then I thought of the leper who, though unclean and prohibited from approaching people, yet knelt before Jesus and put his case in the Saviour’s hands and I decided to do the same myself. I am glad now that I have done so for the Lord has made a deep impression on my worldly heart and it was good for me to be here today.”
John Mpofu, our oldest elder, came from Ingwenya to attend the communion and was in excellent form. His prayers and his conversation were most profitable. Among other precious things he said, “The Kingdom of Christ differs from all earthly kingdoms in this way that earthly kingdoms require the people to suffer and die, if need be, for their king, but in the Kingdom of Christ we find that the King has suffered and died for His people. This is a great and solemn thought—one that drives sleep away when it comes to one’s mind at night.” John’s son, Alexander, who is our preacher at Nkai was kept in a state of anxiety throughout the season on account of illness in his family. On Sabbath evening he remarked, “Satan is very clever and tries in many ways to spoil the effect of God’s Word. When I ought to be thinking of and digesting what I heard today, the evil one is trying hard to direct all my thoughts towards my son’s illness.”
Mr. Tallach has begun building at Zenka but cannot make the progress he would like through lack of bricks. A man from Nkai undertook to supply us with one hundred thousand bricks this year but so far has made only about twenty thousand and many of these are unsatisfactory. The Zenka well which collapsed in 1955 is being re-opened. Mr. Van Woerden has worked hard to make available for building and drinking purposes this valuable source of water. He not only keeps an eye on the workmen engaged to repair the well, but, when time permits, he works with them. An engine sent out by Mr. Van Woerden’s father as a gift to the mission is proving invaluable. Each morning at 4 a.m. it is set to the task of pumping out the water which accumulates during the night, so enabling the workmen when they come on duty at 6.30 a.m. to remove the soil and rock which lie below. It is hoped that the well will be ready for use before the end of this month.
I hope that you keep well and that your travels on the continent were both enjoyable and profitable. We are all enjoying a good measure of health.
A small dam has been built by the Irrigation Department within half a mile of the mission.
With kindest regards to yourself and all friends,
Yours v. sincerely,
J. S. Fraser.
Printer’s Change of Address.
Our Magazine printers, N. Adshead & Son, Ltd., have now transferred to a new address, viz., 91 Fordneuk Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow, S.E. Telephone Bridgeton 3795.