BY the visit of the Rev. Walter Scott, for the second time, after an interval of about nine years, we are again brought into closer touch with sympathetic friends in far-off Australia. Mr. Scott has once more been preaching in many of our congregations, as well as otherwise visiting and discoursing among our people, with much acceptance, and it may be useful to give our readers the following particulars of our Church relations with him and his congregation in Australia.
As minister of the Brushgrove-Grafton charge on the Clarence River, New South Wales, Mr. Scott assures us that many of his people feel identified with ourselves, that some of our ministers’ names are quite familiar amongst them, and that their contentings for truth have been followed for years with an intelligent interest—notwithstanding the many seas which roll between. Our Magazine has been circulating amongst them with, it seems, much appreciation. Under the direction of the Kirk-Session, the congregation, as our readers will have noticed, have long been devoting their Annual Foreign Mission Collection to the support of our Mission amongst the Kaffirs in South Africa, and its progress has been watched, as indicated from time to time in the letters of our missionary, Mr. Radasi. Mr. Scott himself has been, since 1893, and even previously, in correspondence with ministers and other friends of our Church, and mentions the strength this has been to him in his own isolation. He also testifies to the sympathetic fellowship which he has had, similarly, with the Rev. Arthur Paul,
of St. Kilda Free Presbyterian Church, Victoria—the only minister in Australia, he says, with whom he could associate in later years. Mr. Paul is already known here as a defender of the faith. Mr. Scott speaks of him as now a venerable divine—yet still preaching, and still having to be reckoned with when the truth is attacked by Higher Critics there. The lifetime of service which he has so ably given to the defence of the Cause in his adopted land, has given him a unique position in Australia as an authority on Presbyterianism. Mr. Scott has expressed a desire that any possible assistance, in behalf of the cause which he represents in Australia, should come from our Church. In this, he understands Mr. Paul is so far in agreement with him.
Mr. Scott has already completed fourteen years as pastor on Clarence River. Had his own and his wife’s health not required it, he would not readily have come away; although, the climate being semi-tropical, and his island residence low-lying, in an atmosphere more or less malarial, he had been urged by medical authorities, years ago, to leave the district. The extensive area constituting his parish of three ordinary preaching centres, involving fully twenty miles travelling on the Sabbath as between the two extremities, apart from the return journey, greatly intensified the difficulties; and, after such a period of service, Mr. Scott would willingly see the position filled by one able to do more justice to the situation, whilst loyal to the truth. In the meantime, he informs us, that, in associating with our Church here, he has endeavoured by pastoral letters and otherwise, to encourage his own flock, presently being ministered to by the office-bearers.
With regard to our own Church, Mr. Scott has uniformly shown deepest sympathy. He desires, indeed, that we should come formally in line with the Covenanting position, and pleads for a testimony, publicly owning the work of the Second Reformation, with the attainments then made by the Church (1638-1650), but left unacknowledged under the later Church Settlement of 1690, a testimony which would vindicate the contentions and sufferings of martyrs and confessors, and recognise the Covenant obligations in the matter on Church and State, and the sin of their violation as one of the causes of the divine wrath against the nation. The present alarming revolt from all that pertains to the work of God for Scotland and the three kingdoms, which the Reformation represented, is urged as a special and present reason for such action. In this connection, he expresses pleasure at knowing that the members of our Synod are taking the matter into their serious and prayerful consideration.
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