MEETINGS OF PRESBYTERY
NORTHERN: At Dingwall on Wednesday, 5th January, 2000, at 2 pm.
OUTER ISLES: At Stornoway on Tuesday, 14th December, 1999, at 1 pm.
WESTERN: At Laide on Tuesday, 15th February, 2000, at 6 pm.
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND: Auckland, Friday, 28th January, 2000, at 2.30 pm.
SKYE: The Skye Presbytery will meet in the Portree F. P. Church, at 7 pm, on Wednesday, 29 December, 1999, when Mr David Campbell, student, will preach, God willing.
ZIMBABWE: At Bulawayo on Tuesday, 7th March, 2000, at 11 am.
DAY OF HUMILIATION AND PRAYER
THE Synod has appointed that Wednesday, 15 December, 1999, be observed as a day of humiliation and prayer throughout the Church, to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, on account of the widespread departure from true religion and Scriptural morality, by all sections of society in our land. The Synod exhorts one and all to be in earnest prayer for the spirit of repentance to be poured upon us as a nation.
At the suggestion of the Religion and Morals Committee, the Church Interests Committee agreed that this intimation would also draw the attention of our people to the need for prayer “on account of the Scottish Parliaments decision to abandon the precedent set by the Westminster Parliament (where prayers are made exclusively to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ), and to replace it with a weekly devotion on an inter-faith, rota basis.” Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, He will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you” (1 Sam 7:3).
(Rev) John MacLeod, Clerk of Synod
PROMOTION OF TEACHING OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN SCHOOLS
IT was reported recently in the national press that Wendy Alexander, the Scottish Parliaments Communities Minister, “formally announced that legislation banning councils from promoting homosexuality” was likely to be repealed. The legislation referred to is embodied in Section 28 of the 1986 Local Government Act which explicitly forbids the promotion of homosexuality in schools. If Section 28 is repealed it will mean that school children will be exposed to formal teaching regarding homosexual relationships.
We urge our people, especially parents of young children, to write to their local MSPs expressing strong opposition to the repeal of Section 28, emphasising that their opposition is based on Biblical teaching which condemns homosexuality as a grievous sin against God. Since discussion regarding Section 28 is expected to take place early in the year 2000, it is important that our people take action in the near future (D.V.).
Letters to MSPs should be addressed to : The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh EH99 1SP.
Dr. D. R. MacSween, Clerk, Religion and Morals Committee.
THEOLOGICAL CONFERENCE
THE Theological Conference will be held, D.V., in the Free Presbyterian Church, Inverness, on Tuesday and Wednesday, 7th and 8th December 1999.
It is expected that the following papers will be read:
TUESDAY: 2.30 pm
Henry Cook – “Defender of the Faith” Rev. G. G. Hutton, Broadford.
TUESDAY: 7.00 pm
Halyburtons “Knowing God” Rev. H. M. Cartwright, Edinburgh.
WEDNESDAY: 10.30 am
The Puritans on the Ministry Rev. D. J. MacDonald, Dornoch.
WEDNESDAY: 2.30 Prayer meeting
The Grace of Adoption Rev. D. MacLean, Glasgow.
WEDNESDAY: 7.00 Prayer meeting (Public meeting).
John Knox – “Scotlands man of the Millennium” Rev. D. Boyd, Inverness.
Please note that the 7.00 pm meeting on Wednesday will be held in public.
Rev. Neil M. Ross, Dingwall, will be the Chairman of the Conference, D.V.
(Rev.) D. J. MacDonald, Convener, Training of the Ministry Committee
DOMINIONS AND OVERSEAS COMMITTEE WORK
IN October, Rev. K. M. Watkins and Rev. A. J. MacDonald conducted the services at the Free Presbyterian communion season in Chesley, Canada. They also preached further afield than Chesley to a group of people who are anxious to be under the ordinances of the Word of God as scripturally practised by the Free Presbyterian Church.
It is hoped that a minister will go out at the beginning of next year for three weeks to take services with the group of people which meets regularly in Texas. Those who gather there each Sabbath eagerly await the visit, and they look forward to other visits by Free Presbyterian ministers.
Last month, Messrs A. MacRae and R. Matheson delivered aid to an orphanage in Nagydobrony, Ukraine. At the same time they delivered 27,000 pictorial Scripture calendars donated by the Trinitarian Bible Society. We were not in a position this year to deliver these Hungarian, Romanian and Russian calendars to the usual points of distribution, but arrangements have been made for this to be done by others. The load included Russian and Hungarian Bibles, and a gift, from a friend, of Reformed literature in English, including two sets of Owens works and other excellent books which are to be placed in Christian libraries in the Ukraine and Hungary.
We look to the Lord to bless all these endeavours by our Church for the furtherance of His Kingdom. “Thy kingdom come” (Matt. 6:10).
(Rev.) Donald A. Ross, Convener
NEW PUBLICATIONS
FREE PRESBYTERIAN PUBLICATIONS are glad to announce that a reprint of Memoir and Remains of Rev Donald Macfarlane, edited by Rev Donald Beaton, is expected to be available by the time this issue of the Magazine is in print. It contains a memoir by the editor, which is specially significant for Free Presbyterians as it gives an account of the circumstances in the Free Church of the time which made it necessary for Mr Macfarlane to make the stand which resulted in the formation of the Free Presbyterian Church as a separate denomination. Another attractive feature of the book is several years of Mr Macfarlanes diary, which shows him to have been a very spiritually-minded minister of the gospel. There are also several sermons. The volume runs to 227 pages and will cost £11.95, but if ordered within the next two months from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom, it will be available at the reduced price of £9.95. We would also draw attention to the very worthwhile paperback volume of Mr Macfarlanes Sermons which is already available. Readers may order it, during the same period, at the reduced price of £2.95 (normally £4.95).
Some years ago, some investigation was made into the possibility of reprinting some of the early volumes of the Free Presbyterian Magazine. Apart from volume 1, this did not prove feasible. Soon, however, possibly around the New Year, readers will be able, DV, to obtain volume 2. This 480-page book will cost £16.50, but if ordered before publication or during the first two months after publication, it will be available from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom for only £13.50. During the same period, volume 1 will cost only £4.20 (normally £6.95). Both these volumes, produced under the editorship of Rev J S Sinclair, contain a wealth of spiritual reading, as well as observations on contemporary events, many of which are still highly relevant today in spite of the passage of time. Free Presbyterian Publications have also undertaken to produce a selection of the editorials written by Mr Sinclair while he was editor of the Free Presbyterian Magazine during the years 1896-1921.
We hope that two books already announced will be available early next year, DV: Ministers and Men of the Far North by Rev Alexander Auld, and the childrens book, Line Upon Line.
(Rev.) K D Macleod, Convener, Publications and Bookroom Committee
TEACHER REQUIRED FOR ZIMBABWE MISSION
A VACANCY exists for a teacher in Chemistry/Physics at the John Tallach Secondary School, Ingwenya.
Please contact, as soon as possible,
the Clerk of the Foreign Mission Committee,
Rev. J. R. Tallach,
F. P. Manse,
Raasay,
Kyle,
Ross-shire,
IV40 9JB,
Telephone, 01478 660216.
(Rev.) J. R. Tallach, Clerk of Committee
CORRECTION
IT is to be noted that in the obituary of the late Rev. Alexander Morrison the date in the middle of page 334 should read 9th March instead of 12th January.
“THE LIFE OF ALEXANDER HENDERSON”
WE regret that Part 6 of this series has to be held over until the next issue because of lack of space.
MAGAZINE PRICES FOR 2000
THE Magazine Committee regrets that it is necessary to increase prices by 10p per issue for both magazines. Subscriptions for the separate magazines will remain unchanged, but the cost of a subscription for both magazines will go up to £22 per year.
(Rev.) K D Macleod, Clerk of Committee
Return to Table of Contents for The Free Presbyterian Magazine – December 1999