BY THE REV. D. M. MACDONALD, SYNOD DEPUTY, 1915.
THE following Report was read at the Synod, in Mr. Macdonald’s absence, by Rev. Neil Macintyre, Convener of Canadian Mission Committee:—
MODERATOR AND BRETHREN,—Having agreed at the request of the Canadian Mission Committee to continue my labours in Canada during the summer season of 1915, I begin this report by resuming my account of the work in Winnipeg. As previously stated, the property of the congregation was altered into a mission hall, and in it the Communion services were held on the last Sabbath of April. Friends came in from outlying districts, and the weather was fairly good. I had the assistance of Mr. Malcolm Gillies during part of the solemnity. The services, on the whole, were well attended, and I trust were edifying to the Lord’s people present. One new member was added to the Communion roll—Mr. Allan Murray, a native of Ness, Lewis. Messrs. Lachlan Ross and Donald M’Leod, elders, were a support to me during the Communion season.
Before I left Winnipeg I baptized the following children, ranging in age from two years to one week old:—John Murdo Macleod, Alisdair Sinclair, Christina Mackinnon, Roderick Mackinnon, Iona Stedman, Christina Matheson, and Alexander Ross Fraser. I can have no better wish for them than that they should become witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ and be useful in His vineyard in their day and generation.
Detroit.—As I intended to begin my work in the States and Ontario by commencing with Detroit, I left Winnipeg and my kind friends there on the 25th of May, travelling by Duluth and Chicago to Detroit where I arrived on Thursday evening the 27th of May. Messrs. R. S. M’Kenzie and Murdo Matheson met
me on arrival, and during my stay I was most kindly entertained by Mr. and Mrs. M’Kenzie. I conducted services here during two Sabbaths. The attendances, owing to illness and absence in the country of some who used to come to the services, were not so good as on the previous occasion. I visited some of our people and conducted a week-night service in the house of Mr. M’Nally, whose aged and infirm parents are unable to attend the public means of grace and who is himself a firm upholder of the Church. Having been requested to baptize Marion Norman, the child of Mr. and Mrs. Norman M’Kay, who are natives of Stornoway, I did so in their own home in the presence of several of our people.
It was interesting to hear of the efforts put forth in this large city for the conversion of Roman Catholics by an American gentleman who has set himself apart to this work with apparent success. Such efforts are very much needed in the States especially, because the Church of Rome is doing its utmost to win America for the Pope.
Wardsville.—Taking leave of Mr. and Mrs. M’Kenzie, to whom I am much indebted for their kindness, I proceeded to Wardsville on or about the 11th of June, and preached here for one Sabbath. The attendances were excellent, the school in which the services were held being full. The people showed commendable readiness to hear the Word, and I trust this will continue to be characteristic of them in future. During my short stay here I was the guest of my kind friends, Mr. and Mrs. R. M’Lennan, who made me feel quite at home.
East Williams.—From Wardsville I went to East Williams, and while there lodged with Mr. and Mrs. A. D. M’Millan. I remained in this district four Sabbaths and spent part of the time visiting the people. The attendances at the various services were fairly good. Since my previous visit two persons belonging to this congregation were removed by death—Messrs. Roderick Macdonald and William Ross. To their relatives we extend our deepest sympathy.
The Communion services commenced on the 24th of June and continued to the 28th. On Sabbath morning there was a large congregation, many strangers being present. They were orderly and very attentive throughout. I spoke with considerable freedom and felt the power of the Word in my own soul. I would fain hope that this Communion season was a time of quickening and of comfort to the Lord’s people who were present.
Our elders here, Messrs. M’Leish and Scott, are still keeping on the services of the sanctuary despite difficulties. Mr. M’Leish, however, owing to his great age and infirmities, can now only appear in public rarely. As on the former occasion when here, I enjoyed the hospitality of both our worthy elders. To Messrs. Leslie and Ross I have to express my best thanks for driving me in their conveyances on my visiting rounds.
Egmondville.—My next station was Egmondville where our
elder, Mr. Daniel Clark, resides. I was glad to find both himself and Mrs. Clark in fairly good health. Egmondville, for the present, may be regarded as having taken the place of Brucefield, which has now dropped out of the list of our Canadian mission stations owing to the removal of Mr. Forrest and Mrs. Mustard to Chesley. Mr. Clark asked Rev. Mr. Argo, the local Presbyterian minister, if he would allow me to preach in his church in the morning of the Sabbath I gave to Egmondville, and this, after consulting his session, he kindly agreed to do. I had thus the opportunity of addressing his own congregation as well as the handful of our own people present. Needless to say the service was conducted without the use of hymns or organ—a somewhat unusual occurrence, I fancy, in the experience of the majority of the worshippers. In the evening I conducted a brief service in Mr. Clark’s own house.
Newton.—The next stage of my itinerancy was Newton, and to it I gave two Sabbaths. Week-night services were conducted in the house of Mr. Phineas Macdonald, whose guest I was. Mr. Macdonald is himself the main support of our cause here, and in the midst of difficulties and discouragement he is loyally upholding the principles of the Church. To himself and his family of son and daughters I would like to express my gratitude for their generous hospitality while with them.
Chesley.—From Newton I went to Chesley, and officiated during one Lord’s day. This was in the beginning of August. I returned to Chesley in September and assisted the late Rev. Walter Scott at his Communion. I am glad to say that he himself was able to preach the action sermon, which was impressive and edifying. I visited most of the congregation and was kindly received by them. In this connection I have to record with much gratitude my indebtedness to Mrs. Wallace, one of the ladies of the congregation with whom I stayed during part of my sojourn in Chesley, and also to Mrs. Scott and her sister and sister-in-law.
Through the lamented death of Mr. Scott, whose departure is not only a loss to Chesley but also to the Church at large, the congregation is now without a pastor, and it would be most desirable in the interests of the cause that a minister should be settled there as soon as possible. Mention has already been made of the death of two members of the congregation, so I need not refer to them individually here.
Lochalsh.—In the interval between my first visit to Chesley and my last I conducted services in Lochalsh and Kincardine. While in the former place I made my headquarters in the hospitable home of Mrs. Matheson, who, I am pleased to say, was in a fair measure of health after suffering severely throughout the winter. Altogether I gave four Sabbaths to Lochalsh. The services were well attended, especially at night. On the 12th of September the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was dispensed in the congregation. Several friends were present from the other stations. Mr. Clark
felt sufficiently strong to come from Egmondville, and both he and Mr. Scott, Denfield, officiated in their capacity as elders. Unfortunately the weather became very stormy, rain, thunder and lightning being prevalent throughout the whole day. Thunder storms cannot be said to be of frequent occurrence here, but in Canada they occur often and sometimes are very severe, doing considerable damage. One unaccustomed to them could not help being profoundly impressed with the terrific roar of the elements and blinding flashes of lightning. The stormy weather on the Communion Sabbath prevented many from being present who would have been if weather conditions had permitted. To those who were at the services I trust they proved helpful.
As before, Mr. Murdo Matheson kindly drove me on my visiting rounds, and I received a kind welcome from all upon whom I called. I regret to state that four of those connected with this congregation have been removed from time to eternity during the course of the year, viz., Messrs. John Macdonald, Roderick Cameron, Miss Ann Macdonald, and Mrs. Duncan Finlayson.
Mr. D. Macdonald, who conducted services here for a time, is now pursuing his studies in Chesley. Since he left I hope some effort has been made to keep the church open on the Lord’s day.
Kincardine.—From Lochalsh I went to Kincardine and preached there for two Sabbaths. A hall in the town was engaged for the services, and the congregations at the various diets of worship were composed in good part of our people from Lochalsh and some from Kincardine and the surrounding district. While here Mr. and Mrs. Hugh M’Kenzie and family provided for my comfort in their customary kindly manner, and I shall always retain pleasant recollections of their kindness. Pastoral visitation occupied part of my time, and when my work was accomplished I returned to Lochalsh. Although it was suggested to me by our Canadian people that I should continue my labours among them, I had by this time resolved to cross the Atlantic for home. I accordingly took farewell of my kind friends in Lochalsh, and after officiating in Chesley and Newton, proceeded from the latter place to Toronto, where I arrived on the 1st of October.
Toronto.—During my brief stay in this beautiful city I had again the pleasure of being the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Roderick Campbell. To them and to Mr. and Mrs. John M’Leod I have to tender hearty thanks for their hospitality. Arrangements were made for me to preach in the Reformed Presbyterian Church, whose pastor, Rev. Mr. Dempster, practically insisted on my taking the evening as well as the morning service. Having a severe cold which caused loss of voice, I did not feel inclined to preach in the evening, but rather than disappoint some friends who had come to the service I made the attempt and spoke with some freedom. There was a larger congregation at night and among them were several from my own native place.
Mr. Dempster is perhaps the only minister in Toronto who makes use of the same simple and Scriptural form of worship as
we ourselves, and he deserves every encouragement in his stand for soundness in faith and practice. Both he and his congregation are to be congratulated on the excellent church they possess.
I booked a passage here from New York to Liverpool through the Cunard Line on the T.S.S. “Cameronia.” My intention at first was to sail on an American line boat for greater security, but at the last moment I changed my mind and resolved to take a British ship. My mind was directed to the Apostle Paul’s account of his shipwreck on the island of Malta, especially to the portion encouraging those on board to believe that there should be no loss of life among them. Whether or not this would turn out to be true of all on board the “Cameronia” remained to be seen. I am now glad to record to the praise and glory of God that all on board arrived safely at Liverpool.
I left Toronto for New York on the 6th of October and visited the stupendous Niagara Falls during a break in my journey. These magnificent falls are an ocular demonstration of the inspired Psalmist’s statement, “The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.” In Niagara city I spent a night with friends, and on the following day took the Grand Central train, via Buffalo, Rochester and Albany, for the great American seaport from which I intended to sail for Liverpool. Our train skirted the large Hudson River for many miles, and one could not help admiring the beautiful scenery on its banks. The landscape was not unlike our own finest Scotch scenery. I arrived in New York on the 7th of October, and while in the city was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. D. M’Kenzie, both of whom are known to some of our former deputies, and to whom I am much obliged for their kindness.
In regard to buildings, New York is the wonder city of the world. The name “sky-scraper” is an apt description of the tall buildings in the heart of the city, some of which are over fifty stories high and are able to accommodate the population of a fair-sized town.
As I had some time to spare on Saturday before embarking, I went to Princetown to pay my respects to that eminent theologian, Dr. Warfield, and had the pleasure of a short interview with him.
Owing to some delay, the “Cameronia” did not sail till about 9.30 in the morning of October the 10th. Every precaution was taken to safeguard the liner, all baggage being examined before being transferred to her, so that no explosives might be smuggled on board secretly. The day of our departure was fine and clear. In a short time we were far out in the bay, and by the evening we were on the broad bosom of the heaving Atlantic. After being a few days at sea the passengers were all assembled together and had their life-belts fitted on. They were then shown to their respective boats, and the men told, in case of the vessel being sunk, to get the women and children into the boats first and afterwards to try and save themselves. It would have been a difficult task to transfer up to five hundred passengers to the small boats even in fairly calm weather, but fortunately the necessity did not
arise. This ordeal was useful and necessary, but might have aroused not a few misgivings in the minds of nervous passengers. The weather was beautiful throughout the voyage, the monotony of which was relieved now and then by the sight of other vessels, some outward and some homeward bound. We entered the war zone on Sabbath evening the 17th of October. The nervous tension now became marked. That night many of the passengers did not go to their berths at all, but remained till the following morning in the music and smoking rooms. For my own part I went to bed as usual. In the early morning we got into the Irish Channel, and about 10 a.m. a submarine was sighted astern of us by the look-out on the main mast. Speed was put on and we escaped. While in the war zone one had the feeling that at any moment the ship might be blown up and both passengers and crew launched into eternity. It was with a feeling of relief and joy that about 9 p.m. on the 18th of October I stepped ashore at Liverpool and found myself once more on the soil of the old country after an absence of about eighteen months. I would here desire to express my profound gratitude to the Lord for his care and protection of me in all my travels. I arrived home on October the 21st.
In concluding my report I would like to thank again our Canadian people for the many kindnesses shown me while among them. I pray that the Lord may be with them to bless them and that our efforts as a Church on their behalf may bring forth much fruit to His praise. It would be highly desirable to have at least two ministers settled in Canada as soon as possible. If this were done, they would be able to take the oversight of the whole Canadian field and consolidate the different stations in a satisfactory manner.