IX.
ACHMELVICH, October, 1872.
MY DEAR FRIEND,—I was looking for your last letter two weeks before it came, and was afraid something was wrong with yourself or with the family. The world is full of troubles, temporal and spiritual, and many of them we bring on ourselves.
I was away at ——— at the Communion since I wrote you last. There is a young minister there now in Mr. M.’s place. Many a time we will not get in the public means what we are seeking if we are seeking Christ as the portion of our souls. But blessed for ever be His holy name that He reveals Himself to poor penitent sinners who cannot be content without Him in His own word and at a throne of grace. And those who have an interest in His atoning blood they will not be forgotten for ever, but they will get faith from Himself to make them accepted in His sight, and so they have cause to rejoice in Him whatever be their troubles and trials in the world. Oh ! for a taste of His love in our hearts ; this would be a sure mark of our interest in Him, and this alone will prepare us for communion with Himself and with His redeemed Church in the eternity that is fast approaching to us all. But for my own part I am kept more in communion with my own hard heart than with anything else, which fills me with shame and confusion of face before the blessed Jesus who has given such proofs of his love to lost undeserving sinners. Was it not the lost that he came to seek and to save ? Was it not the lost for whom He laid down His precious life ?
I hope you meditate on what He did for sinners, so that you may be led to seek an interest in it above everything else in the world. . . . —Your sincere friend,
ALEX. KERR.
X.
ACHMELVICH, May 9th, 1873.
MY DEAR FRIEND,—It is time for me to answer your last
welcome letter. You will excuse my delay when I tell you that, along with my wife’s continued illness, I had other things to weigh down my mind. Did you ever read of one Sanballat, who when he heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being re-built and the breaches repaired, tried every means in his power to stop the work? I believe he lives yet, and Satan has him at his command to try to stop the work of God in the soul. But Nehemiah resisted him by faith and by prayer. Also when Hezekiah, king of Judah, got the threatening message from the King of Assyria are we not told that he went and spread the letter before the Lord in the house of the Lord. So we see that it was by faith and prayer that he too overcame. And is there not still a “house of the Lord” to which we may bring what oppresses us and seeks to hinder the work of God in our souls? Is there not a throne of grace for poor helpless sinners to go to? Is not Christ Jesus on that throne as the one Mediator between God and man, and have not the Lord’s people in every age found that their only relief in all their troubles from sin and Satan was to approach that throne of grace and lay their complaints before Him who by His own precious blood made it a throne where even vile sinners could bring all their concerns, temporal and eternal. My dear friend, do we know this for ourselves? As I said, I was much cast down of late by various hindrances to the life of grace (if I knew what that grace is), but it is written “they overcame by the blood of the Lamb.” Oh! may we be of their number.
Remember me to the friends in C. Hoping you are all well.—
Yours sincerely,
A. KERR.
— XI. —
ACHMELVICH, 8th November, 1873.
MY DEAR FRIEND,—I received your letter last Monday, and was anxious to hear how you were in bodily health, also the family. I hope the trouble is not spreading in the place. What can you do but commit your family to Him to whom I hope you have committed yourself. Alas! how ignorant we are of Christ in His three offices. As a Prophet we need Him to teach and guide us, as a Priest we need Him to appear on our behalf before His Father’s throne, and as a King we need Him to rule over us and reign in us. Now whatever falls out to us in Providence it is all known to Him, but He will have us to make it known to Him ourselves, that He may give us the support and deliverance that we need. I will be anxious to hear soon again how matters are with you; and oh! do not forget the matters of your immortal soul. Seek evidence above all things of an interest in the atoning blood of the Son of God. I am not unmindful of you and yours if that would do you any good.—Your sincere friend,
ALEX. KERR.
Seamron.
LEIS AN URR. ARCHD. COOK A BHA ‘N DEIMHIDH.
LION an duine na soithichean feirg. Tha ceartas comasach air a thoirt do na h-uile peacach tuarasdail a h-uile peacaidh. Na soithichean reirg a tha peacadh a’ lionadh! Anam bhochd, bha na Sgriobtuirean a’ labhairt air na soithichean sin nach robh iad fathast lan, cha’n eil cup nan Amorach fathast lan. Tha thu ann an sin agus feudaiddh Dia a bhi ‘feitheamh gus am bi an drap mu dheireadh feirg ann do chop. Nis cha chomasach sinn ghabhail a steach ciod ua tomhasan feirge is comasach an t-anam fhulang anns an t-siorruidheachd agus an earbsa shiorruidh. O! am bheil thu a’ mortadh d’anama? Ciod na tomhasan feirge a tha sin a’ toilltinn? Nis faic am Fear-saoraidh a’ tighinn a stigh fuidhe sin agus a’ gradhachadh Dhia ann an sin. ‘S e sin ni nach fheigh an Cruithear tre’n t-siorruidheachd ann am creutair cruthaichte. Air de shonsa teichidh tu o’n aon a ni cron duit, ach faic esan ann an so, “mo Dhia, mo Dhia,” gun aon smuain mhonmhior ach a’ greimeachadh ni’s mo ‘s ni’s mo ris agus ris an tagladh. Ach ‘s ann air bonn cumhnanta a bha so. Bha cumhnant eadar na Pearsachan siorruidh agus chunnaic an Cruithear o shiorruidheachd ni’s leor ann an toilltinneas Chriosd gu ceartas a riarachadh airson a shluaigh agus uime sin tha na briathran, “Saor e o dhol sios do’n t-sloichd, fhuair mise eiric.”
Ach ciod a tha sin a’ foillseachadh? ‘S e obair an Athar bhi dion gloir an lagha, nach fùlling sin call air bith. Bha gach anns an Athair do’n t-saoghal o shiorruidheachd agus chuir E cuid air leth anns am biodh a ghloir shiorruidh a’ Jealradh ‘nan slainte. Ach bha a ghradh ni bu mho d’a ghloir fein air chor ‘s gu’m feud sinn a radh gu’n robh an Gliocas siorruidh ann am Pearsa an Athar ag amharc le thachd air. Pearsa Chriosd o’n bhroinn agus bha sin ‘ga chompanachadh gus an d’ thubhairt E. “‘S e so mo Mhac gradhach anns am bheil mo mhór thlachd.” ‘S ann mar sin a bha am Uile fhiosrachd mar fhianuis air mar a bha a h-uile smuain agus iarrtus a bha ann an Chriosd a’ sruthadh o’n chuan oirdheirceis a bha ann fhein a bha ‘g ardachadh an lagh agus a’ cur onoir air.
Tha olc a’ pheacaidh a reir gloir an Ti an aghaidh am bheil peacadh. Dh’ fheudadh ni bhi air a dheanamh an aghaidh righ a bhiadh toilltinneach air bas nach biodh toilltinneach air bas nam b’ann an aghaidh creutair cumanta a bha e. Nis, mo chairdean, ma tha gloir creutair crushaichte ag agairt bais ciod a tha gloir an Dia shiorruidh ag agairt? Thoir an aire ciod a tha thu deanamh. Am bheil gloir na Morachd ag agairt do dhamnadadh?
Tha umhlachd a reir inbhe an Ti a thug an umhlachd. Bha oirdheirceas ann am pearsa Chriosd mardhuine nach robh anns a’ chruthiteachd uile. B’ e toiseach cruthachadh Dhe, deabradh gloir an Athar. Ged a tha E anns an t-saoghal ‘na dhuine dhoilghiosan
agus eolach air bron gidheadh b’ E oirdheirceas Dhe. Na dhaon-nachd bha a ghloir ann a chumachd ris an lagh naomh ach cha robh sin mionaid dealaichte ri a Dhidadhachd, air chor’s gu’n robh an Dia siorruiddh ag amharc air mar an Dia siorruiddh air a’ chrann-cheusaidh ; uime sin tha na briathran, “Saor e o dhol sios do’n t-slochd, fhuair mi eiric.” Cha-n e sin a mhain ach bha an Dia siorruiddh ann an nadur na daonpachd ag analachadh a mach gaol de Dhia agus do’n duine ann an ol cup na feirge.
Tha mi ‘ga shaolaisinn a’ cordadh ri focal Dhe bhi a’ smuain-eachadh air Ceartas a’ cur peacaidhean an taghaidh ann an sligbh agus bas Chriosd ann an slige eile. Tha e soilleir nach ann air mhodh litireil ach spioradail a tha sinn gu bhi ‘tuigsinn nam briathar sin, “a chothromaich na sleibhteann ann an sligbh agus na cnuic ann am meidh-chothroim.” Chaidh iomadh gu gloir mu’n do bhasaich Chriosd. Ach tha mi air uairibh a’ smuaineachadh air am peacaidhean mar air an carnadh suas mar eileanan reoite gus an do choinnich iad air Chriosd. Cha robh aon diubh air a mhaithheadh dhasan. Nam faigheamaid sealladh dhe peacaidhean an taghaidh cha bhiodh iongantas oirnn as na bráonaibh mora fola ‘bha ‘tuteam sios air an talamh. Cha mhaithheadh Ceartas tre’n t-siorruidheachd aon dol air falbh a’ chridhe o Dhia. O, ciod na creutairean cruaidh a tha sinn ann! C’aithe am bheil am bronneadhon am measg clann Chriosd? O chreutair bhochd, am bheil suilean agadsa a na bron airson a h-uile ni eile ach so? ‘S e ifrinn d’ aite-sa. Cha mhaithheadh Ceartas aon samuio sannt. Nis ciod na beanntan a bha’n sud? Beanntan de pheacaidhean clann a’ chumhoiant. Ach ciod iad sin an coimeas ri fulangas an Dia shiorruiddh? Uime sin na briathran “Saor iad o dhol sios do’n t-slochd, fhuair mi eiric”—chum gu’biadh E cothromach agus gu’m fireanaicheadh E an ti a chreideas ann an Iosa. An d’fhuair tha d’anam mar chobhartach? Chosd sin moran do Chriosd. O! ciod e sin an Dia siorruiddh a’ cur peacaidhean an taghaidh agus bas Chriosd ann an sligbh cothromaceaidh agus ag radh, “Saor e o dhol sios do’n t-slochd, fhuair mi eiric?” O’na beanntann a bhr ann an sud! ‘S e tobar sonas an anama a bhi air a thoirt gu aithne air so. Ann an so a nis feudaiddh mi radh, nach iongantach ged a dh’ eirich oran nuadh o na h-uile creutair air neamh agus talamh Chuala mi aon de na naoimh ag radh, “nuair a chunnaic mise fuil a’ chroinn-cheusaidh, chuala mi oram molaiddh do Dhia anns a h-uile ni air an talamh.” Ciod a bha’n sud? Bha, a’ mhallachd air a togail de’n talamh. O anam, sguir de’n pheacadh no gheibh thu dol fodha anns an t-slochd a ghrunn nach ruig thu fhad’s a bhios bith aig Dia.
Ann an so a nis feudaiddh mi radh gu bheil Dia fein a toirt dearbhachd air gu’n d’ fhuair E eiric. Cha’n’eil aon anam air a thoirt beo anns an t-saoghal nach eil ‘na dhearbhachd air gu’n d’fhuair E eiric. Thusa nach ‘eil Chriosd a stigh air do shon cha bhi agad ach bru is druim fad do laithean; bidh tu air do reisig-eadh ann an cruas cridhe, an t-striopach ann an gach na striopach-
ais, agus luchd-sannt ann an gaol an t-saoghail. Cha’n ‘eil aon air a thoirt beo anns an t-saoghail nach ‘eil ‘na dhearbhachd air gu’m d’ fhuair Dia eiric. Tha am Fear-saoraidh, fein ag radh, “Ma dh’ fhalbhas mise cuiridh mi an Comhfhurtair do ‘ur nionnsuidh”—agus sin air toilltinnneas a bhàis. ‘S iongtach aon air a thoirt beo mu a shiorruidheachd. ‘S iongtach anam ‘na phriosanach. Ach ‘s e a tha iongtach aon air ‘fhuasgladh as a phriosan. And ‘fhuair thusa drap de dochas gu’m biodh tu air do shaoradh o dhol sios do’n t-slochd? ‘S e a tha sin toradh a bhàis-sa, ‘s e a th’ ann toradh an ni a tha tighinn a mach o Dhia air bunachar ceartais. ‘S iongtach aon air ‘fhuasgladh agus drap de dochas aige. Nach ‘eil e ‘na dhearbhachd air gu’n d’ fhuair E eiric?
Mar a tha na h-aindiadhaich air an cumail o bhi ‘reubadh cuspairean a ghaoil anns an t-saoghail tha sin ‘na dhearbhachd air gu’m d’ fhuair an Dia siorruidh eiric airson an anam. Agus feudaidh mi radh gu’m bheil cuadhan na Morachd air an cleachdadh ann a bhi ‘toirt air meadhonan nan gras bhi freagairt na criche airson an robh iad air an comharrachadh anns a’ chumhnant. Cha-n ‘eil ni cho faisg air Dia ri slainte an anama, agus O! ciod na drapan comhfhurtachd a tha E ‘comhpaireachadh anns na meadhonan? agus aig bord an Tighearna? O! ciod na creutair-ean iongtach a tha iad ann, air an ceannach le ‘fhuil fein! O! bheil thusa ann an sin le cho beag curam mu anam ri bruidean na macharach! ‘S iongtach sin anam a’ tighinn gu bhi ‘deanamh gairdeachais ann an ceartas Jehobhah, direach ‘ga thilgeadh fein air ceartas Dhe. Nach sona an t-anam sin a’ dol a chodail ‘san oidhche le curam Dhe m’a thimchioll, direach a staid a’ beantuin ri sonas Dhe? Ach gu comb-dhunadh,
I. Tha sinn uile ag aideachadh gu bheil sinn ‘nar peacach agus ag radh, “Co nach ‘ejl a’ peacachadh?” Ma ta, tha thu ‘nad oighre air ifrinn agus thu a’ gabhail sin gle entrom; ach bidh tu fathast marlle ris an diabhlul agus ‘ainglibh agus cha-n fhaigh thu entrom an sin e.
II. Nach fheud sinn fhaicinn ann an so, ma fhuair Ceartas anns na sligean so lan riarachadh agus gu’n d’ thubhairt E fein, “Saor e o dhol sios do’n t-slochd, fhuair mi eiric,” nach fheud peacach bochd e fein a mheantradh air? Carson a bhasaich Criosd? Direach, chum thusa a shaoradh o ifrinn. Nach fheud thusa ma ta thu fein a mheantradh air ciod air bith cho peacach ‘s a dh’ fheudas tu bhi? Ach O! tha thusa an sin agus tha seann urnuigh sin na ri Criosd. Bidh cuid ag radh, “air sgàth Criosd.” Anam bhochd, fhad ‘s a tha thusa a’ diultadh Criosd cha-n fhaigh thu mi san bith air a sgath. Is ladarmas dhuit a bhi ag iarruidh air a sgath agus ‘ga diultadh fein. Ach O! nan gabhadh tu ri Criosd. Cha-n ‘eil aon air neamh no air talamh a ghabhaidh do staid os laimh ach e fein agus cha-n ‘eil e ag iarruidh ni uait ach gu’n gabhadh tu ris fein ann an saor thairgse na slainte. Esan “a thig a’m ionnsuidh cha tilg mi air chor sam bith a nach e.” Ach
O ! tha an t-seann urnuigh agadsa agus cha-n fhag thu i ; ach is i ‘s i ‘s miosa dhuit na a h-uile peacadh a rinn thu riamh, tha i a’ cumail do choguis ‘na codal ; ach O ! nan tigeadh tu an eisimeil Chriosd dheanadh e trocair ort.
III. Cha-n iongantach ged a bhiodh bàs Chriosd priseil aig cuspairean a ghaoil. Cha-n ‘eil ni cho priseil aig Dia ri toradh bais agus beatha Chriosd. Thusa, a fhuair drap de Spiorad an aithreachats agus a tha ‘gabhail ri Chriosd, ‘s e sin toradh a bhàis. Iadsan a bhios gic an sin dealraidh iad mar shoilleireachd nan speur agus mar na reultan fad saoghal nan saoghal. AMEN.
Literary Notice.
“CHAPTER FROM THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF A HIGHLAND PARISH.”
By Rev. D. Macnicol. Parlance, Paisley. 1s. 6d.
THE Highland Parish depicted in this small but interesting volume is Strachur, in Argyllshire. The period under review is the first sixty or seventy years of the last century. These years were the days of merciful visitation to that district, and they contrast in a marked manner with the darkness that was before this dawning of the Sun of Righteousness, and the darkness that has followed the going down of that Sun. Mr. Macnicol gives a brief sketch of the principal names and incidents connected with this time of revival. A name familiar to attentive readers of the Magazine emerges in this narrative, viz., Donald M’Arthur, the lay preacher of Cowal, whose labours in the gospel one hundred years ago were instrumental in kindling a flame of vital godliness whose afterglow still lingers in the district. It is a melancholy but not an unprecedented fact that the chief hindrance to the Lord’s work in Strachur was the parish minister. But if the official exponent of Christianity was also the chief opponent thereof, there were pioneers and helpers found in other spheres of life in a way that shows the sovereignty of the Most High over all hearts. Honourable mention is made of Lady Campbell of Strachur, a devout and honourable woman who studied the highest interests of the parishioners, and busied herself to procure the services of evangelical ministers from among the dissenters. The principal torchbearers, however, were the lay evangelists Donald M’Arthur, Donald Kennedy, and Finlay Munro. When the Disruption took place, an evangelical Free Church minister, the Rev. William Lauder, was ordained to the pastoral office in Strachur, an office which he continued to discharge for forty years. The volume closes with an interesting notice of Mr. Archibald Macarthur, the godly centenarian of Dunoon, who died in 1881, and who was one of the first-fruits of the Strachur revival. In these days of a departing God and glory it is dutiful to write and to read of the years of the right hand of the Most High, and this booklet should be valued by those who have pleasure in the things of the kingdom.
Notes and Comments.
The Final Decision.—The verdict, long waited on, of the House of Lords in the case pending between the two Scottish Churches was pronounced on 1st August. The terms of this verdict are of a sensational character. The appellants of the Free Church, defeated in the two previous hearings of the case before the Court of Session, have had these unfavourable decisions reversed, and are declared victors, while the hitherto triumphant Rainy coalition has suffered a moral and financial defeat which is appalling in its dimensions. They have been declared guilty of breach of trust, and have been ordained to hand over the whole funds, and condemned to pay the whole costs of the law actions.
The King’s Present.—One of the gifts received by the Alake of Abeokuta during his visit on which he set the greatest value was a copy of the Holy Scriptures, presented to him by King Edward. The sacred volume, which was exquisitely bound, bore the following inscription:—”Presented by Edward the Seventh, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, to the Alake of Abeokuta, July, 1904; to replace the Bible given by Queen Victoria in 1848 to Sagbua, father of the present Alake, which was lost in a fire twenty-five years after.” The African ruler sailed on Friday from Liverpool for his far-off home. May the Holy Spirit bless the Word he bears with him to his court and his subjects.—English Churchman, July 14.
Lady Huntingdon’s Dance.—This heading lately caught our eye in the evening paper, and it appeared worthy of note. It afforded food for thought much the same as if one had said “John Bunyan’s Quadrille Party,” or “Samuel Rutherford’s Dramatic Entertainment.” For the name Lady Huntingdon was once far otherwise associated than with dancing and tomfoolery. The ancestress of this titled dame of the dancing party was the great Lady Huntingdon who was converted to God about the year 1744, and thenceforward devoted her wealth, strength, and influence to the promotion of the cause of Christ. She was a prominent figure in the evangelical revival which overspread England in the middle of the eighteenth century, and she was associated on earth with Romaine, Toplady, Whitefield, and other godly champions of the faith, and is now doubtless associated with them in heaven. Her name is perpetuated in a body of evangelical dissenters which, we suppose, exists to the present time—”Lady Huntingdon’s Connexion.” Therefore, we say, the words “Lady Huntingdon’s Dance” are indicative of a disastrous change. The gold has become dim, and the most fine gold has perished, inasmuch that if any of these dancers at Lady Huntingdon’s party were visited with light and life from above such an one might be heard saying, “Oh Lord, Why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear?”