My dear friend,
A month ago I received your welcome letter for which I thank you very much. Some days ago I was reading the 8th chapter of Matthew which was blessed to me a second time. The first time was in Scotland before the war. I had stayed at Dingwall, and Rev. Matheson, minister at Lairg, took me there in his car along with old George Mackenzie. I stayed at the manse and next morning Mr Matheson took me to Dornoch. He stopped at the Mound to see Malcolm Fraser. I had not the courage to go with him and remained in the car; but after a few minutes he came back with the old godly man. I did not dare to meet him and should have liked to flee, when these words came to me “Lord, I am not worthy, that Thou should’st come under my roof.” Matt. 8:8. How kind Malcolm Fraser was to invite me to have food with him, and I shall never forget his prayer and words. The Lord blessed our meeting. And now the other portion which melted my heart, verse 11: “And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven.”
“O greatly blessed the people are, the joyful sound that know”
You know how a great part of our country is flooded, more than 1400 persons are drowned, so far. I had several friends in those parts and a most godly friend, and three persons living with him were drowned. But he is now sitting down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of Heaven. We were told later on that they feared this part also should be flooded, but we were spared.
We are wonderfully well, but I am very busy. In my school are some victims of the flood. I intend to come to Scotland this summer and should like to attend one of the communions.
I knew a godly woman who first came to church when a “blind” preacher was preaching. She was quite ignorant but the Lord used his words to convert her. She cried out “Wretch, who told you what kind of woman I am?” Later, when the Lord taught her through His Spirit she couldn’t find any food there. I have read Ebenezer Erskine’s diary and enjoyed it very much.
With kind regards from Mrs Docter,
Your friend,
A. DOCTER
Tuiteam agus Eirigh Eaglais na h-Alba.
Ann an Eaglais Steidhict Athleas aichte na h-Alba
Bha gaisgich bha clùiteach is treun,
‘N an dìlseachd air taobh Fianuis na firinn
An dìleab a dhearb Criosd d’a chéil,
Gu bhi ‘g a ghleidheadh is ‘g a luirigeadh
Do a chlann, is do gach linn nan deigh.
Mo thruaigh ar staid, nach sinn a thuit iosal
A glòir ann an tomhas gu ro-mhòr air falbh!
A dhiol-deircean Ard-Sheanaidh Dhun-eideann
Nach robh riamh air ar foghlum ‘o shuas,
Nach sguir sibh a dh’fhiaradh na firin,
Nach sguir sibh a chur sluagh air tur air seacharan is a dhìth,
‘S gur e dorainn ‘ur cuibhrionn, is ar n’aithe a’ làmh chlìth,
‘N uair a shuidheas Ceann na h-Eaglais mar Bhreitheamh ‘s mar Rìgh,
O ar feum mar ghinealach gu’n togadh Tu teachdairean
Air nach biodh athadh na nàire dhe bhi seideadh na caismeachd,
An aghaidh gach mearachd is mealladh is breug.
W.M.
Gathan Gloir na Diadhachd
Leis an Urr, Eideard Pearce
(Air a leanntuinn bho t.d.)
2. Bho neo-chaochlaidheachd Dhé tha sinn a co-dhùnadh agus a tarruig searbhadas a choruich, agus truagh do-labhairt na muintir a thuiteas fodh a cudthrom.
Cha’n eil gràdh Dhé ni’s mìlise na tha fhearg searbh, cha’n eil a ghràdh ni’s ion-mhiannaichte na thà fhearg ri bhi air a seachnad, agus sin do bhrigh gu’r E Dia neo chaochlaidheach a tha Ann. Agus Oh! cia truagh ‘s a dh’fheumas iad a bhi a thuiteas fodh’n fheirg so. Ann an Isaiah x, 6, tha sinn a leughadh mu ghinealach corruich Dhé: tha cuid ann mar sin a tha gu sònraichte na’n ginealach corruich Dhè, tha iad na’n cloinn feirge, na’n oighreachan air farg, agus bi farg, eadhon farg Dhé, na chuibrionn aca gu bràth; tha leithid sin neo-aithreachail a chùm na criche agus na neo-chreidmheach, na h-uile tha beo agus a bàsachadh ann an neo-aithreachas agus ann an eas-creidimh. Agus oh, cia cho neo-chriochnach truagh ‘s a dh’fheumas iad a bhi! ‘S e farg mhòr a th’ann a farg Dhé, farg bhorb, farg ghoirt, farg chumhachdach, farg nach eil cur na h-aghaidh, farg loisgeach, chaiteach, a tha slugadh suas. Mar sin tha na Sgriobtur an labhairt mu timchioll. Agus tha so uile a labhairt mu cho do-labhairt searbh agus uamhasach ‘s tha ì, agus truagh do-labhairt na muintir a thuiteas foidh-pe. Ach ‘s e a ni a chuireas gu neo-chriochnach ris, gu’m bheil an fhearg so siorruidh agus neo-chaochlaidheach, na farg a mhaires agus bràth. Uime sin tha e air a chur sios anns na Sgriobtur an mar theine nach fhaodar a mhùchadh, Mata iii.12. Tha farg Dhé air a ghairm teine do bhrigh a theine agus a neart do-labhairt, air dhi bhì na nàdur caithteach agus a slugadh suas, agus tha e air a ghairm teine nach fhaodar a mhùchadh do-bhrigh e bhi buan agus neo-chaochlaidh-each, air dha gu’n a bhi fulung aon chuid atharrachadh na croich ni’s moth a na tha ghràdh a deanamh. Agus tuiteam fodh’n teine so nach fhaodar a mhùchadh, fodh fhoillseachadh an fhearg shiorruidh agus neo-chaochlaidheach so, oh cia cho dulich, cho truagh ‘s a dh’fheumas so a bhi. Tha Solamh ag innse dhuinn, “Mar bheucaich leomhain tha farg righ, “Gnàth. xix. 12. Agus ciod uime sin, agus cia uime sin cho uamhasach ‘s tha farg Dhé, an fhearg nach gabh farg righrean na talmhuinn a bhi air a’ choimeas ‘s nach eil ach neo-ni. Tha eagal oirne aig amaibh roimh fhearg dhaoin, seadh, air uairibh a leithid de dh’eagal agus gu’m fuilg sinn sinn fein a bhi air ar fuadach bho ar dleasdanais. Ach a luchd mo ghràidh, ciod e farg duine ann an coimeas ri fearg Dhé. Ciod e fearg duine saochlaidheach ann an coimeas ri fearg Dhé a tha neo-chaochlaidheach? Abram ris gach anam agaibh mar a tha Dia troimh’n fhàidh ag ràdh ann an Isaiah li. 12, 13, “Is mise, eadhon mise an ti a bheir dhoibh comhfhurtachd: co thusa gu’m biodh eagal ort roimh dhuine a gheibh bàs, agus roimh mhac an duine a nithear mar am feur? (creutair caochlaidheach) Agus gu’n dì-chuimhnicheadh tù an Tighearna do Cruithear a shìn a mach na neamhan agus a leag steidh talmhuinn.” Cha’n eil ùine ghoirid agus caochlaidheach an duine agus fhearg araon, agus bàsaichidh iad, ach mairidh Dia agus fhearg gu bràth. Oh! ionnsaichibh eagal a bhi oirbh agus a bhi fodh bhal-chrith roimh fheirg, agus bithemh air ar faiceal cia mar, air son beagan tlachd, a tha dol as an t-sealladh agus a tha caochlaidheach anns a pheacach, a thà sìbh dha’r tilgeadh fein fodh fhearg agus fodh chorruch neo-chaochlaidheach. A pheacaich bhochd, thà thù meas eutrom fearg Dhé, mar gu’m bu nì beag e, gabh beachd air do bhrosnuchadh an-dàna agus làthail ‘n aghaidh le peacaidh, gabh beachd air do neo-mhothachadh air agus fodh chomhraidhean agus foillseachaidhean, gabh beachd air do dheartmad air Criosd agus a bhì deanamh do shìth ri Dia tre Chriosd, agus an leithidean sin. Ach anam, gabh beachd ann an sgàthan a neo-chaochlaidheachd shiorruidh agus sin faic am bu nì e a bu chòr a mheas eutrom na nach e; thà na naoimh a criothnachadh roimh bheachdachadh air. “Co d’an aithne neart t’fheirg? agus a reir t’eagail do chorruch.” Salm xc, 11. Thà iad ag osnaich, tha iad a silleadh fala, thà iad ag osnaich, seadh, thà iad a bàsachadh, agus thà iad eadhon a dol as an ciall fodh bhoinnean agus crathaidhean beag aimseireil dheth, Salm 1xxxviii, 15, 16, seadh, thà iad air an uamhasachadh agus air chrith iomadh uair ri foillseachadh air an aghaidh cuid eile. “Oir bha eagal na feirg orm (a deir Maois) agus na corruich leis an robh an Tighearna feargach ‘n ‘ur n-aghaidh-se a chùm ar sgrios.” Deut. ix, 19. B’urrain Maois a bhi seasamh fearg duine, seadh, ach thà e air chrith roimh fhearg Dhé ‘n uair a bhà l air a brosnachadh an aghaidh muintir eile. Mar sin thà na naoimh air chrith roimh fhearg Dhé,” thà na deamhain a creidsinn mar an ceudna, agus thà iad a’ criothnachadh.” Seumas ii.19. Thà iad a creidsinn gu’m bheil Dia ann, agus thà iad a criothnachadh ri bhì smuainteachadh air fearg an Dia sin.
(R’a leanntuinn)