Dr. Rainy’s Responsibility for the Loss of the Church Property.—When all the negotiations connected with the Union of 1900 will see the light, it may be made tolerably clear that the United Free Church leaders courted disaster with light unconcern, and only received what they were working for in the catastrophe of 1904. In the recently published Chapters of Reminiscence, by Dr. Taylor Innes, there is the following interesting reference to the matter:—Mr. Innes appears to have lost no opportunity of laying before Dr. Rainy from time to time the danger of losing the Church property if the Union negotiations with the United Presbyterian were pressed forward as proposed. In one place he writes:—”For several years about that date I was in bad health, and in March, 1897, on my way to a foreign watering-place, I sat down and wrote Dr. Rainy a final letter, urging the risks to property—to all at least outside of the Trust Deed. For the first time apparently he communicated on the subject with the Church’s law adviser, Mr. Guthrie (now Lord Guthrie), who arranged to take my letter and have an informal talk upon it with Mr. Blair Balfour, then Dean, and afterwards Lord-President. On my return from Nanheim, almost the first man I met was Rainy on his way from the New College. He told me instantly that Balfour had startled both lawyer and Churchman, when the former read him my letter, by telling him that he thought there was a chance of the Church losing not only the property outside the Model Trust Deed, but that which I always believed that deed would protect (if pleaded). I felt I had no longer any individual responsibility in the matter; but two months later Dr. Rainy’s speech at the United Presbyterian Jubilee showed that he ‘was committed to go on,’ and a month later the Assembly also resolved to do so.”
A Much-Advertised Book.—A correspondent writes to the Protestant Observer, pointing out that there are some very serious errors in Lt.-Col. Turton’s The Truth of Christianity. Evolution is accepted, and this evolution includes organic evolution, natural selection, and the survival of the fittest. The following sentence shows Lt.-Col. Turton’s attitude to the writer of Genesis:—”We have to examine whether the narrative is nearer the truth, as we now know it from geology and other sciences, than the unaided guesswork of a man ignorant of those sciences might be expected to be.” Verbal inspiration, says the correspondent, and the infallibility of the Bible are denied. The substitutionary nature of Christ’s death is denied, and the book has other serious errors.
The Papal Legate and the British War Vessel.—Italy is greatly amazed and indignant, says Dr. Robertson, Venice, in the May Bulwark, and Malta is perplexed and indignant too, that a British vessel, the “Hussar,” under Lieutenant and Commander N. W. Diggle, should have received orders to go to Syracuse, in Sicily, and embark the Papal Legate, Cardinal Ferrata, and convey him to Malta, that he may attend the Eucharistic Congress which is to be held there this month. Everyone is asking—What has the British Admiralty to do with a Eucharistic Congress? And what right has the British Admiralty to send a vessel to an Italian port to take off the Ambassador of the Pope and the Vatican? If any nation has the right so to honour a representative of the Pope it is Italy. The Pope and the Cardinal Legate are Italian subjects, and the Roman Catholic Church is still unhappily the established Church of the country. But Italy does not move in the matter. Italy would not move in the matter. Italy would not put at the service of such a man, to go on such a mission, the veriest cockle-shell of a boat in the land. And why? Because she considers it entirely out of place for the State to become the servant of the Church. Because she knows that Pope and Cardinal and priest and Papal ecclesiastics of every kind are all the enemies of liberty and education and of everything that tends to the happy, wholesome life of the people. And Italy knows what an Eucharistic Congress means.
Centenary of the Birth of Robert Murray MacCheyne.—On the 21st May, 1813, Robert Murray MacCheyne was born, and during his brief sojourn in this world, he was a burning and a shining light. Dr. Bonar portrayed the life and character of his beloved friend in his well-known Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray MacCheyne. This is one of the finest religious biographies in the English language. It sets before us a beautiful character, a soul burning with fervent love to Christ, and yearning for the salvation of sinners. At the early age of twenty-nine he passed from this world, and it is not too much to say that religious Scotland wept at his death. Dr. Bonar has beautifully said in the concluding lines of his Memoir—“There has been one among us who, ere he had reached the age at which a priest in Israel would have been entering on his course, dwelt at the mercy seat as if it were his home,—preached the certainties of eternal life with an undoubting mind,—and spent his nights and days in ceaseless breathings after holiness and the salvation of sinners. Hundreds of souls were his reward from the Lord ere he left us; and in him have we been taught how much one man may do who will only press farther into the presence of his God, and handle more skilfully the unsearchable riches of Christ, and speak more boldly for his God.”
The Cry for Union.—By the time these lines are in print the Assemblies of the Established and United Free Churches may have discussed the reports of their respective Committees on Union. Whatever may be the outcome of these negotiations, no one can shut their eyes to the excessively active pleading that goes on in the leading columns of the Scotsman. This powerful journal, for some reason best known to itself, advocates Union in season and out of season. We cannot say its enthusiasm is infectious; but, no doubt, it is impressed with the idea that it is wielding a mighty influence in ecclesiastical matters. For our own part, the very fact of the persistent advocacy from such a source would incline us to examine with exceptional care any religious scheme that has its imprimatur. The Scotsman no doubt at times, like Balaam, speaks the truth, but its personal, active advocacy of a religious cause, apart from other considerations, carries no weight with people of discernment.
The Metrical Psalms.—It has become of late something of the fashion to speak of the Scottish metrical version of the Psalms as antiquated (says a writer in the Quarterly Register of the Alliance of Reformed Churches holding the Presbyterian system), full of imperfect and prosaic rhymes and out of date. Our Authorised Version of the Bible was published shortly before that version was made, and has also words and phrases that our highly sensitive people like to gloss over. Yet the version itself as a whole is universally praised for its pure English and the rhythm of its sentences. We venture to place alongside of it the Scottish Metrical Psalms, and claim that these have well-nigh every excellence found in the former, and but few of its defects. In the older Psalm Books, those once used in Scotland, the prose Psalms were printed on one page and the metrical version on the one opposite, the simple metrical structure of the latter often enabling the reader to keep in memory the ideas of the former. Now, the object of the versifiers was not to furnish the Church with a new collection of rhymes, but to reproduce the sentiments and even the language of the prose version, while for cadences of language this version is unequalled. These cling to the ear from childhood to the grave, so that oftentimes lines or half lines of a verse will flash up before us when our thoughts are otherwise engaged. Outside of Scotland, and of certain branches of the Presbyterian Church, that marvellous collection is now largely disused, mainly because modern worshippers are out of sympathy with the conceptions or experiences of the Psalm writer. Might it not be better to bring these people back to the having of such experiences than to accept their condition as normal, and, therefore, setting the Psalms largely if not altogether aside?
Church Notes.
Communions.—Coigach (Ross), first Sabbath of June; Shieldaig (Ross), second; Dornoch (Sutherland) and Lochcarron (Ross), third; Gairloch (Ross), fourth; Inverness, and Staffin (Skye), fifth. Lairg, Beauly, and Raasay, first Sabbath of July; Tain, Bracadale (Skye), and Tomatin (Moy), second; Daviot (Inverness), Halkirk (Caithness), and Rogart (Sutherland), third; Carrbridge (Inverness), fourth.
Meeting of Synod.—The Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church will (God willing) meet at Inverness Church on Tuesday after the fifth Sabbath of June—the first day of July. The Moderator, Rev. Neil Macintyre, Stornoway, will conduct public worship at eleven o’clock a.m.
Services at Summer Fishing Stations.—It is hereby intimated that services in connection with the Free Presbyterian Church will (God willing) be held in the Dalrymple Hall, Fraserburgh, conducted by the Rev. Norman Matheson, Halkirk, and beginning with the first Sabbath of July. Similar services will be conducted in the Masonic Hall, Lerwick, Shetland, by Mr. Angus Mackinnon, missionary, beginning on the first Sabbath of June. Mr. Murdo Mackay, missionary, is expected to officiate at Wick, beginning same Sabbath.
Western Presbytery Notices.—Congregational Treasurers under the jurisdiction of the Western Presbytery are requested to send a copy of their Financial Statements for the year ending March last to the Rev. Neil Macintyre, F.P. Manse, Stornoway, not later than 27th June. It is also requested that within the same period Session records belonging to all sanctioned charges under the Presbytery be forwarded to the Rev. Alex. Macrae, F.P. Manse, Portree.
Protest against Running Trains on Lord’s Day.—The following resolution was adopted by the Southern Presbytery on 16th May, and copies of it were sent to the Caledonian Railway Company and the press:—”The Southern Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church views with deep grief and alarm the amount of Sabbath desecration perpetrated by Railway Companies in this country, the Caledonian Railway Company having become notorious in this respect by the running of trains and steamers on the holy day of rest. The Presbytery observes with pain that the Company purpose to run a greater number of trains on Sabbath from the beginning of June, whereby they shall give more extensive facilities to the careless public for desecrating the Lord’s Day, as well as bring serious guilt upon themselves. The Presbytery would, therefore, enter its strong and decided protest against this public and systematic violation of God’s law, and would respectfully warn both the Caledonian Railway Company and the public that God will certainly punish transgressors for this form of iniquity, either in this world or that which is to come; while it would earnestly appeal to all who fear God and love His commandments to do all in their power to put a stop to the grievous sin of Sabbath desecration by opposing it in every lawful way.”
General Assemblies.—The Assemblies of the Established Church, United Free Church, and Free Church, were opened on Tuesday the 20th May. The new Moderators are respectively:—Dr. A. Wallace Williamson, of St. Giles, Edinburgh; Principal Iverach, D.D., of the United Free College, Aberdeen; and the Rev. Samuel Lyle Orr, of Milton Free Church, Glasgow.
Acknowledgments.—Mr. Angus Clunas, General Treasurer, 35 Ardconnel Ter., Inverness, begs to acknowledge, with thanks, the following donations:—For Sustentation Fund—£5 from “A Lady Friend,” Tain; £100 from Alex. Ross, Esq., Liverpool, equally for Sustentation and Missionary and Catechist Funds; 10/- from “A Friend,” New Zealand, per Rev. E. Macqueen; and 10/- from Miss Macaskill, Lochboisdale School, South Uist, for Missionary and Catechist Fund. For Foreign Missions—5/- from “A Friend,” New Zealand, per Rev. E. Macqueen. For Matabele Church Building Fund—10/- from “A Friend (Kirkhill P.O.); 28/- from “North Tolsta,” Lewis, per Mr. D. Maciver; 40/- from “Friend,” Halkirk, per Rev. J. R. Mackay; 10/- from Rev. K. Ross, Bracadale, per Rev. A. Macrae; and 10/- from Mr. A. Mackenzie, Tigh-na-mara, Achindreen, Lochbroom, per Rev. J. S. Sinclair. For Psalms in Kaffir—5/- from “A Friend,” New Zealand, per Rev. E. Macqueen; 10/- from “A Friend,” Achany Road, Dingwall; 20/- from “Friend,” Halkirk, per Rev. J. R. Mackay; 10/- from Mr. A. Mackenzie, Tigh-na-mara, Achindreen, Lochbroom, per Rev. J. S. Sinclair; 15/- from “Lady Friends,” Appiecross; and 5/- from “A Lady Friend,” per Rev. N. Cameron, for Shorter Catechisms in Kaffir.—Rev. J. B. Radasi desires to thank “Reformer” for donation of 5/- for School Prizes to Children.—Rev. N. Cameron begs to acknowledge, with thanks, the following donations:—For Bembesi Building Fund—5/- from M. M’Caskill; 10/- from “E. M.”; 20/- from “Miss M.”; 41/1 from “T. M’D.”; 20/- from “J. M.”; and 5/- from “A. M.,” Laide. For St. Jude’s Building Fund—15/- from “Lady Friends,” Applecross.—Mr. Hector Morrison, missionary, Scourie, begs to acknowledge, with sincere thanks, the receipt of a donation of £20 from J. W. Stewart, Esq., of Vancouver, towards the repair of the Church building at Scourie.