THE Half-yearly Meeting of Synod was held in the Free Presbyterian Church, Inverness, on Tuesday, the second day of July. The Moderator, Rev. Duncan Mackenzie, Gairloch, conducted public worship at 11 a.m., and preached from first Timothy vi. 12: “Fight the good fight of faith.” After public worship was ended, the Moderator constituted the Synod with prayer.
The roll was called, and there were present: From the Southern Presbytery—Rev. James S. Sinclair, John Knox’s, Glasgow, minister; with Mr. Angus Fraser, St. Jude’s, Glasgow, elder. From the Western Presbytery—Rev. Duncan Mackenzie, Gairloch (Moderator), minister; with Mr. Finlay Macdonald, Shieldaig, elder. From the Northern Presbytery—Revs. Donald Macfarlane, Dingwall; John R. Mackay, Inverness; and Norman Matheson, Halkirk, ministers; with Messrs. Alexander Maclean, Inverness; Murdo Urquhart, Dingwall; and Alexander Gray, Lairg, elders. The Clerk intimated apologies for unavoidable absence from the Revs. John Robertson, Greenock; Murdo Morrison, Glendale; Donald Beaton, Wick; Neil Macintyre, Stornoway; Neil Cameron, Glasgow; and Donald Graham, Shieldaig. Mr. Graham stated that his worthy elder, Mr. Alex. Mackenzie, had died on the previous Saturday, and that he was under the necessity of attending his funeral on the day of the Synod’s meeting.
The minutes of last meeting of Synod were read and approved of. Mr. William Fraser was appointed officer of Court.
Rev. J. R. Mackay moved that the Moderator and Clerk (Rev. J. S. Sinclair) be appointed to draw up a loyal Address to the King. The motion was seconded by Mr. A. Fraser, and agreed to. Mr. Mackay also moved that the members of Synod meet (d.v.) as a Committee on Bills and Overtures at the Manse at 4 p.m.; and that Rev. J. S. Sinclair and Mr. A. Fraser be appointed to examine the Records of the Northern Presbytery; Messrs. A. Gray and F. Macdonald to examine the Records of the Southern Presbytery; and Rev. N. Matheson and Mr. Murdo Urquhart,
the Records of the Western Presbytery. The motion was unanimously agreed to. Mr. Mackay moved that the Moderator be asked to publish his sermon in the August number of the Magazine. The motion was seconded by the Clerk, and unanimously agreed to. The Moderator expressed his willingness to comply with the desire of the Synod, but he was not sure whether he could have the sermon ready before the September Magazine.
The Synod adjourned, to meet again (God willing) at 7 p.m. The meeting was closed with prayer.
Second Sederunt.—The Synod resumed its sitting, according to the terms of adjournment, at 7 p.m. The meeting was opened with devotional exercises conducted by the Moderator, Rev. D. Mackenzie. There were present: From the Western Presbytery—Revs. Duncan Mackenzie (Moderator) and Andrew Sutherland, Ullapool, ministers; with Messrs. John Macdonald, Gairloch, John Macdonald, Stornoway, and Finlay Macdonald, Shieldaig, elders. From the Northern Presbytery—Revs. D. Macfarlane, J. R. Mackay, Ewen Macqueen, and N. Matheson, ministers; with Messrs. A. Gray and M. Urquhart, elders. From the Southern Presbytery—Rev. J. S. Sinclair (Clerk); and Mr. A. Fraser, elder. The minutes of the first sederunt were read and approved of.
The Clerk read a reply he had received from the Secretary for Scotland in reference to a Humble Petition to the King forwarded by instructions of last Synod, begging His Majesty to use his great influence and authority with a view to bringing to an end the running of trains on the Lord’s Day. The reply was as follows:—”Scottish Office, Whitehall, S.W., 18th June, 1912.—Reverend Sir,—In reply to your letter of the 10th inst., forwarding a humble Petition to the King from the Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland with respect to the running of Mail Trains on the Lord’s Day, I am directed by the Secretary for Scotland to inform you that the Petition has been referred by His Majesty’s command to the Postmaster-General to deal with.—I am, Rev. Sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) James M. Dodds.” The Clerk also reported that, according to instructions, he had recently sent the same petition to the House of Lords and the House of Commons—to the former, per the Right Honourable Lord Kinnaird, and to the latter through the Right Honourable Charles Scott Dickson, M.P. Both gentlemen had intimated their willingness to present the Petition.
(1) The Clerk next read the report of the Committee on Bills and Overtures as to the order of business.
The order was as follows: (1) Report of Committee on Bills and Overtures; (2) Report of Committee on Loyal Address to the King; (3) Reports of Examiners of Presbytery Records; (4) Appointment of Church Committees; (5) The Treasurer’s Annual Financial Statement; (6) Appointment of the Annual Collections; (7) Foreign Mission Report; (8) Canadian Mission
Report; (9) Church Magazine Report; (10) Report by Theological Tutor; (11) Remits from Presbyteries; (12) Any Competent Business. Rev. N. Matheson moved the adoption of the report of the Committee on Bills and Overtures as to order of business. The motion was unanimously agreed to.
(2) The Clerk reported that owing to the limited time at their disposal the Committee on the loyal Address to the King had not yet the Address ready, but that they would have it ready and forwarded in the course of a few days.
(3) The Examiners of Presbytery Records delivered favourable reports as to the manner in which the various Records were kept. The only thing lacking in some cases was the absence of signatures to the minutes, but it was expected that these would be supplied at the first opportunity when Courts would meet.