WE regret that owing to the limited time at our disposal since the meeting of Synod, it is impossible to give a full Report in this issue. We hope (God willing) to do so in the July issue, with the same measure of detail as has been the practice in the past. For the present, our readers must be satisfied with a brief outline of the principal items of business.
The Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church met in the Hall of St. Jude’s Church, Glasgow, on Tuesday evening, the 22nd day of May. Public worship was conducted by the Moderator, the Rev. Alexander Mackay, Oban, who preached from Hebrews x. 23. Thereafter he constituted the Synod with prayer. The roll was called, and there were present: From the Western Presbytery—Revs. Neil Macintyre, D. Graham, and A. Sutherland, C.F., ministers; with Messrs. A. Mackenzie, Stornoway; John Macdonald, Gairloch; and F. Macdonald, Shieldaig, elders. From the Northern Presbytery—Rev. D. Macfarlane, Dingwall, minister; with Messrs. Charles Maclean, Inverness, and M. Urquhart, Dingwall, elders. From the Southern Presbytery—Revs. Neil Cameron, James S. Sinclair, Ewen Macqueen, and Alexander Mackay, ministers; with Messrs. D. Fraser, St. Jude’s, and M. Campbell, Oban, elders. Apologies for absence were intimated from the Revs. M. Morrison, Lochinver; N. Matheson, Halkirk; D. M. Macdonald, North Uist (presently in London); D. M’Kenzie, Gairloch; and D. N. Macleod, Tarbat, Harris. Mr. Neil Mackinnon, elder, Portree, also sent an apology. At the Second Sederunt (next day), there were present the Revs. A. Macrae, Portree; J. R. Mackay, Inverness; D. Beaton, Wick; and D. A. Macfarlane, Lairg. After the Minutes of last Synod were read, Rev. A. Mackay, Moderator, intimated that his term of office had expired, and thanked the Synod for their kindness during his term. The Rev. D. Macfarlane, Dingwall, was then unanimously
appointed Moderator, and took the Chair. At this Meeting, the Committee on Bills and Overtures, and some other Committees were appointed, and the sederunt was closed with praise and prayer between 9 and 10 p.m.
The Synod met next day at 2 p.m. At this, the Second Sederunt, there was taken up an appeal by an elder and member in Sutherlandshire against a decision of the Northern Presbytery on the subject of the new Summer Time Regulation in its relation to the Sabbath. The Clerk intimated that he had received word from the appellants to the effect that they did not find it possible to come to the Synod. It was then unanimously decided that in view of their non-appearance, the appeal had fallen through, according to regular procedure. It was, however, decided in response to a request from the members of the Northern Presbytery that the Synod would take steps at a later sederunt to make a pronouncement on the general subject of “the new time.” The usual Church Committees were next appointed. Rev. J. R. Mackay delivered his Theological Report, and Rev. D. Beaton gave in a Report by the Canadian Mission Committee. In the absence of Mr. A. MacGillivray, the General Treasurer, the Rev. J. R. Mackay, Inverness, delivered the Annual Financial Report, which was considered satisfactory in respect of the Sustentation and other Funds. A proposal to add, in view of a recent legacy, the sum of £20 to the ministers’ salaries during the incoming year, as well as a proportionate increase to the salaries of missionaries, was agreed to. The usual Church Collections were also appointed.
At the Third Sederunt, which met at 6.30 p.m., Rev. Neil Cameron delivered the Foreign Mission Report, which was adopted. He read an interesting report from Rev. J. B. Radasi, Matabeleland. It was agreed also to send a donation of £20 to the Trinitarian Bible Society for the spread of God’s Word among the Jews. Rev. D. Beaton read his report as Deputy last year to the Canadian Mission, which was adopted and ordered to be published in the Magazine. Rev. E. Macqueen, who completed a year’s work as an Official Chaplain to the Forces, last November, gave some account of his labours, and Rev. A. Sutherland, Ullapool, who has been acting in this capacity for a year up to the present at Ripon, also gave an account of his work.
The Clerk next read a communication which he had received last August from the Rev. Prof. J. K. Cameron as Clerk to the Free Church Commission. It consisted of an Extract Minute in which it was stated that a Petition from certain members of the Commission was granted by said Court, to the effect that “the Commission initiate procedure with a view to negotiations being entered upon with the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in order to secure, if possible, co-operation or union between that Church and the Free Church.” The Minute bore that one member (Mr. D. M. Smith) dissented for the reason “that it was
not competent for the Commission to deal with the Petition in accordance with the terms of the Commission’s appointment.” The Minute further stated that the Commission agreed to “appoint a Committee to confer with any Committee which may be appointed by the Free Presbyterian Church on all matters that may at present be regarded as obstacles to co-operation or union between these Churches, and to report from time to time to the General Assembly or its Commission.” The conclusion of the Minute consisted in the names of ministers and elders appointed to form the Committee:—Rev. E. Macleod, Dornoch; Rev. F. Macrae, Plockton; Rev. J. Macdonald, Rosskeen; Rev. D. Munro, Ferintosh; Rev. D. Maclean, Edinburgh; Major R. Greig, Edinburgh; and Mr. A. Macneillage, Glasgow; Rev. D. Maclean to be Convener.
Rev. Neil Cameron rose and moved the following resolution on the subject:—
“The Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland respectfully acknowledges receipt of a communication from the Free Church Commission of August, 1916, intimating that a Committee had been appointed to confer with representatives of the Free Presbyterian Church as to the removal of obstacles which may stand in the way of union between the two Churches.
“The Synod, while not definitely committing itself to the opinion that the Free Church Commission acted wholly within its powers in originating this movement, desires to draw the attention of all concerned to the following statement of the Synod’s position and of some of the outstanding differences between the two bodies.
“The Synod, while recognising the obligation that lies on Christian denominations to seek union in the truth, considers that meanwhile it would be futile to appoint a Committee to meet with the Free Church Committee, and is of opinion that the interests of the case are best served by a statement of differences as follows:—
“(1) The Free Church has never explicitly condemned the views advocated by Dr. W. M. Alexander, one of her professors, in a book named ‘Demonic Possession,’ views destructive of the inspiration and inerrancy of the holy Scriptures, nor has she called upon Dr. Alexander to state publicly in distinct and unequivocal terms that he repudiates the book and sincerely regrets the anti-scriptural opinions expressed therein, and by her unfaithfulness in this respect, has called in question her own loyalty to the doctrine of the Scriptures as the infallible Word of God. (2) The Free Church, in an Act of 1905, rescinding the Declaratory Act of 1892, inserted a clause in the preamble of the said rescinding Act, namely, ‘as she has always adhered,’ which bears the construction that the Free Church in her corporate capacity had always adhered to the Confession of Faith and other subordinate standards as adopted by the Free Church in 1846, and which clause may be reasonably construed as a censure of the
position of the Free Presbyterian Church relative to the Declaratory Act of 1892, the said Act having been the overt ground of its taking up a separate position in 1893. The representatives of the Free Presbyterian Church have always maintained that the adoption by the Free Church in 1892 of this Declaratory Act was a serious departure by said Church from the Confession of Faith and other subordinate standards. The present Free Church, by the clause referred to, has raised a standing barrier between her and the Free Presbyterian Church. (3) The Free Church, since 1900, has thrown open the door of admission to her ministry very indiscriminately to men out of a great variety of Churches, and this latitudinarianism has also raised a barrier between her and the Free Presbyterian Church. (4) The Free Church has been lax in her general discipline and practice, and differs from the Free Presbyterian Church in such matters as Church Bazaars and Sales of Work, Church Soirees and Social Meetings, Prayers at the Grave, and to mention a particular case of discipline, the failure on the part of her Assembly to remove a Popish symbol from one of her Church Buildings.
“The Synod, in adopting this statement, declares that it does so with a sincere desire for the glory of Christ the Head of the Church, the integrity of His Word both in profession and practice, a clear testimony for the truth as embodied in the Confession of Faith and other subordinate standards, and the general welfare of Christ’s cause in Scotland and throughout the world.
“The Synod instructs its Clerk to forward a copy of this statement to the Clerk of the General Assembly of the Free Church.”
Mr. Cameron then spoke to the several points of the Resolution, and moved its adoption. Rev. D. Macfarlane, Dingwall (who left the chair for the purpose), seconded the motion in a short speech.
Thereafter, Rev. J. R. Mackay, Inverness, moved the adoption of another motion, which was as follows:—
“The Synod acknowledge receipt of Resolution of the Free Church Commission of General Assembly, intimating the appointment of a Committee by said Commission to confer with any Committee which may be appointed by the Free Presbyterian Church on all matters that may at present be regarded as obstacles to co-operation or union between the two Churches.
“The Synod, while recognising the obligation that lies on Christian denominations, occupying the same field, and owning the same scriptural creed, to endeavour to walk in the utmost Christian amity, conclude, in no spirit of prejudice and in no opposition to the end desiderated in the said Resolution on a clearly defined scriptural basis, that meanwhile it would be futile to appoint a Committee to meet, with the Free Church Committee, until:
“(1) The Free Church owns that Dr. Alexander’s book, ‘Demonic Possession,’ is heretical, and calls upon Dr. Alexander to state in distinct and unequivocal terms that he both repudiates
the book, and genuinely regrets the unscriptural sentiments expressed therein. (2) The Free Church acknowledges that the Declaratory Act of 1892 was de facto law in 1893, and deletes the words, ‘as she has always adhered,’ occurring in the preamble to the Act rescinding the Declaratory Act, for the reason that the said words are open to an indefinite interpretation, and they are capable of being construed as a censure of the position of this Church, relative to said Act; or otherwise take means to perfectly neutralise the effect of the said words by what may be accepted as the equivalent of their deletion, in so far as the words in question may constructively amount to a condemnation of the Free Presbyterian action in 1893. (3) The Free Church expresses her willingness to homologate Deliverances passed by this Synod on such matters as, The Bible and the Higher Criticism; Creed Subscription; Prayers at the Grave; Church Bazaars; and Church Soirees, copies of which are herewith supplied.
“The Synod, in agreeing to the terms of the foregoing Reply, supremely view the glory of the ever-living Head of the Church, the integrity of His Word, both in profession and practice, the necessity of maintaining a clear testimony for the truth as embodied in the Confession of Faith, and other subordinate standards, and the general welfare of Christ’s cause at home and abroad; and they forward it in the most respectful and courteous spirit.”
After Mr. Mackay had spoken in support of his motion, Rev. Alexander Macrae, Portree, seconded the same. (The speeches of movers and seconders will (d.v.) be published in next issue.) Revs. D. Beaton, Neil Macintyre, Ewen Macqueen, and A. Mackay spoken in favour of the first motion, while Rev. A. Sutherland, and Mr. D. Fraser, elder, spoke in favour of the second. The Moderator (Rev. D. Macfarlane) then put the motions to the Synod, with the following results:—For Rev. Neil Cameron’s motion—Revs. Neil Macintyre, Ewen Macqueen, D. Beaton, Donald Graham, Alexander Mackay, D. A. Macfarlane, Neil Cameron, and J. S. Sinclair, ministers; with Messrs. J. Macdonald, Gairloch; M. Urquhart, Dingwall; Charles Maclean, Inverness; M. Campbell, Oban; A. Mackenzie, Stornoway, elders—13. For Rev. J. R. Mackay’s motion—Revs. Alexander Macrae, Andrew Sutherland, and J. R. Mackay, ministers; with Mr. D. Fraser, St. Jude’s, elder—4. Mr. F. Macdonald, elder, Shieldaig, did not vote for either motion. The Moderator, Rev. D. Macfarlane (who was precluded from voting by his position as Moderator), declared that Mr. Cameron’s resolution was the finding of the Synod. After the decision was announced, Rev. J. R. Mackay said he had neither the intention of leaving the Church, nor recording his dissent. He had simply taken the best way he had thought fit of expressing his mind. The sederunt was closed about 12 a.m., with praise in the 122nd Psalm, and prayer.
The fourth and last sederunt was held on Thursday the 24th
May, at 10.30 a.m. At this sitting, the Church Magazine Report was read and adopted. Several “Remits from Presbyteries” were considered, and Committees were appointed to deal with various subjects which came under the head of “Competent Business.”
It was agreed, on the motion of the Rev. J. R. Mackay, to meet again (God willing) in Inverness, on Tuesday after the third Sabbath of May, 1918. The Synod was closed with singing the last three verses of the 72nd Psalm, and prayer.