Communions.—Oban, first Sabbath of November; Halkirk (Caithness), and St. Jude’s, Glasgow (Jane Street, Blythswood Square), second; Dornoch (Sutherland), Edinburgh (Hall, Riego Street, near Tollcross), and Helmsdale (Sutherland), third.
The late J. A. MacCaskill, Missionary, Skye.—We have received notice of the death of Mr. John A. MacCaskill, missionary at Carbost, Skye, and chronicle the same with sincere regret, expressing the deepest sympathy with his widow in her great bereavement. Rev. A. Macrae, who writes, wishes us to state that a fuller notice will (D.V.) be given later on.
Letter from Rev. D. Maclean of the Free Church.—We have received the following explanatory letter from the Rev. D. Maclean, Edinburgh:—
“OFFICES OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND,
EDINBURGH, 16th October, 1916.
DEAR MR. SINCLAIR,—It has come to my ears that there is a rumour afloat to the effect that the movement I endeavoured to initiate at the August Commission of our Assembly anent negotiations for the co-operation or union with the Free Presbyterian Church, sprang from alleged representations made to me by Free Presbyterian ministers, that the Free Presbyterian Church was prepared to abandon her distinctive position for the sake of Union.
I would consider it a great favour, in the interests of truth and the brethren who are thus misrepresented, if you would kindly make it known through the Free Presbyterian Magazine that no Free Presbyterian minister or layman made any kind of representation to me that had the remotest relationship to disloyalty or prejudice to the distinctive testimony of the Free Presbyterian Church. The gossip that has reached me has no foundation in fact, and I sincerely hope that this emphatic denial will disabuse the minds of all whom it may concern of the false impression apparently existing.—With kind regards, yours sincerely,
D. MACLEAN.”
Perhaps we may be permitted to say in regard to above letter that the statements made by Free Church ministers at the last meeting of their Commission did certainly appear to many as implying that brethren in our Church had given encouragement to the Free Church in regard to union—an encouragement that was unwarrantable. Professor J. K. Cameron is reported in the Free Church Record to have said: “On the former occasion (of a movement on their part for union with the F.P. Church), they did not receive the acquiescence of brethren of the Free Presbyterian Church, but he was in a position now to say that if they moved again, their movement would have a warmer reception.” Rev. D. Maclean said that “the time was opportune because he had in his possession evidence of grounds for initiating this step.” In view of these statements we do not think “gossip” is the right word to use in regard to the inferences that many naturally drew from them. We have pleasure, however, in giving publicity to the explanation that no representation of any kind has been made by the brethren of the Free Presbyterian Church that “had the remotest relationship to disloyalty or prejudice to the distinctive testimony” of their own body.
Correction.—In the short obituary of Mr. Angus Macphail, late elder, St. Jude’s, Glasgow, we regret that, owing to a slip of memory, it was stated that Mrs. Macphail “never became a member in full communion.” She was a member for a large number of years. We regret having made the above mistake.—N. C.