THE following appreciative notice of this attractive Christian lady appeared in The Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record for January, 1917:—
“It is with deep regret that we have to record the death of Mrs. Shaw, Clarence River, New South Wales. Mrs. Shaw has acted as Hon. Secretary of the large Northern Rivers Auxiliary for a good number of years, aided by a willing band of collectors. The work entails immense labour year by year, and what the Trinitarian Bible Society owes to these ‘helpers in the work’ can never be fully told. Mrs. Shaw did all she could to make the visit of the Association Secretary in 1911 helpful and fruitful; and he remembers now with chastened interest the happy visit he paid to her house on the banks of the beautiful Clarence. Mrs. Shaw was a woman of noble presence, of a ‘meek and quiet spirit,’ and of transparent reality of character. The death of Mrs. Shaw is a great loss to the Society; but her good daughter has kindly taken her mother’s place, and is acting as Hon. Secretary in her stead. For this we are thankful to God. Two of Mrs. Shaw’s sons are in the Army. We express our deep sympathy with the family, and also our sincere thanks to Miss Shaw for her willing and welcome help.”
J. C. S.
The Northern Rivers Auxiliary, of which Mrs. Shaw was Secretary, was, at first, connected with the British and Foreign Bible Society, but, at the suggestion of the late Rev. Walter Scott, Brushgrove, Clarence River, latterly of Chesley, Ontario, connection with that Society ceased, because it published the Roman Catholic version of the Scriptures.
An obituary notice is also given of the Rev. J. Ormiston, Rector of St. Mary-le-Port, in The Trinitarian Bible Society Quarterly Record for January, 1917. There it is stated: “For fifty years he was a staunch and faithful supporter of the Trinitarian Bible Society. He was led to join the Society, which was, in those early days, a matter of controversy with many of God’s people, viz., that the British and Foreign Bible Society did not open their meetings with prayer.”
A sketch of Mrs. Shaw appeared in the Free Presbyterian Magazine for January, 1917.
D.V., at some future time, extracts from Mrs. Shaw’s letters will be given in our Magazine.
D. MACK.
An t-Urramach Ónghas MacMhaoilán. Searmón I.
(Continued from page 92.)
“ Oir pheacaich na h-uile, agus tha iad teachd gearr glóir Dhé.”— Romanach iii. 23.
- Tha daoine, mar pheacaich, ann an cunnart teachd goirid air glóir agus sonas siorruidh anns an t-saoghal ri teachd. Bha ‘n ceud Adhamh air a chruthachadh beagan ni b’ ísle no na h-ainig; chrùn Dia e le glóir agus le urram, agus thug e uachdaranachd dha air oibríbh a lamh; ach ciod air bith cho glórmhor ‘s a bha chrùn, no co sona, sólasach, ‘s a bha staid ann an gáradh Edein, cha robh aig’ ach samhlaidh fann air an t-sonas a bha feitheamh air ann an rioghachd neimh, nam buanachheadh e, rè aimsir a dhearbhaidh, ann an umhlaichd iomlan a thoirt do ‘n lagh. Nan coimhlonadh an ceud Adhamh coimh-cheangal nan gniomh, blitheadh e air árdachadh ann an àm ionshuidh, o ‘n t-sonas a bha aig’ air thalamh, gu glóir, urram, agus neo-bhásmhoireachd ann an saoghal nan spiorad. Ach cha do ghleidh e gu daingeann na nithe a bha aige; dh’ eisd e r’ a nàmhaid, agus rinn a nàmhaid a chreachadh agus fhagail reubta, lomnochd, agus leth-mharbh. Pheacaich e ‘n aghaidh Dhé, agus air ball thainig caochladh brònach air a staid; dh’ eirich a choguis féin ‘n a aghaidh; thuit an crùn d’ a cheann; agus dhealaich a ghloir ris. Ach cha b’ e glóir agus sonas a cheud staid an t-iomlan a chaill Adhamh, tre cheannaic an aghaidh Dhé; oir chaill e mar an ceudna còir air an t-sonas a bha air a ghealltain d’ a, air beatha mhaireannach anns an t-saoghal ri teachd. Chaill e na bha aig’ an seilbh, agus chaill e còir air na bha aig’ anns a ghealladh, agus dh’ fhagadh e féin agus a shloichd ann an cunnart a bhi caillte, eadar anam agus chorp, gu siorruidh. Feudaidh Dia, ann a árd-uachdaranachd, tròcair a dheanamh air pheacaich, agus an saoradh o dhol sios do ‘n t-slochd, air sgàth na h-éiric a fluair e féin a mach; ach cha ‘n ‘eil leigheas air an creuchd, na leasachadh air an uireasbhuidh, ann an ni ‘s am bith a tha iad féin comasach a dheanamh, agus ni mo tha iad airidh na toilteanach air an tròcair is lugha o ‘n Tighearna. Uime sin, tha e ro shoilleir, gu bheil daoine mar pheacaich ann am mòr chunnart teachd goirid air sonas siorruidh, agus a bhi air am fuadachadh fa-dheoidh o làthaireachd Dhé, agus o ghloir a chumhachd, a dh’ ionnsuidh truaighe bhitbhuann anns an t-saoghal ri teachd.
AN COMH-DHUNADH.
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Anns a cheud àite, feudaidh sinn fhaicim o ‘n teagasg so, an caochladh brònach a thug an leagadh air staid agus nadur an duine. Thuit e o ‘n staid árd, naomha, agus urramach anns an robh e ‘n tús air a chruthachadh, agus le thuiteam chaill e deadh-ghean, agus iomhaigh a Chruthfhir. Dh’ amhaire Dia air a cheannairceach le gràin, dh’ fholaich e a ghnùis uaithe, thug a litir dhealaich dha, agus chuir e air falbh e. Dhruid e mach e gu h-iomlan o ‘n chomh-chomunn shòlasach, agus spioradail, a bh’ aige maille ris féin ‘n a cheud staid. Anns an staid bhrònach so gus an do thuit Adhamh, bha aobhar aige bhi caoidh gu goirt air an doigh so,—“ Och, ciod so a thainig orm! Thréig mi mo Chruth-fhir, bhròsnuch mi gu feirg e, agus tha e nis ‘n a ghéur-chorruich, a folach a ghnùis o m’ anam. Mo thruaigh mi, chaidh as domh! O, ciod a ni mi? C’ àite an teich mi? Co a shaoras mi o ‘n truaighe thainig orm le m’ amideachd, le m’ eas-umhlachd féin? ”
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Tha e ‘n a ni soilleir gu ‘n d fhag an leagadh, cha’n e mhain an ceud Adhamh, ach an cinneadh daonna uile, ann an staid peacaidh agus truaighe. Bha iad uile ann an leasraidh Adhamh ‘n uair a thuit e, agus thuit iad maille ris anns a cheud seacharan. “ Chlaon iad uile as an t-slighe, tha iad uile mitharbhach, cha’n ‘eil neach a tha deamamh maith, cha’n ‘eil fút a h-aon.” Dh’ fhag an leagadh sliocht Adhamh gu h-iomlan, eadar Iùdhaich is Cinnich, fo uachdaramachd a pheacaidh, ‘n an cloinn feirg, agus buailteach do thruaighe shìorruidh. Co luath ‘s a thainig am peacadh steach do ‘n t-saoghail, chuir e ‘n saoghail gu h-iomlan a h-ordugh, thionndaidh e ‘n creutair an aghaidh a Chruth-fhear — seadh, agus aon a chreutair an aghaidh creutair eile, gus an do lion e ‘n talamh le eucuir agus aindiadachd dhaoine, ionnas gu robh gniomharan chloinn nan daoine, o linn gu linn, a dearbhadh gu soilleir, gu robh iad uile ‘n am peacaidh a thainig gearr air glòir Dhé.
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Feudaidh sinn a thugsinn o ‘n teagsag so, nach comasach duine sam bith a bhi air fhireanachadh tre oibríbh an lagh. Tha ‘n lagh naomha, cothromach, agus maith, agus tha e ‘g iarraidh fior naomhachd cridhe agus caithebeatha; tha ‘g iarraidh, cha ‘n e mhain fior naomhachd, ach forfeachd ann an naomhachd? “ Co a dh’ fheudas a rádh, rinn mi mo chridhe glan? ” no c’ àite am bheil an neach nach fheudar peacadh air bith a chuir as a leth, a thaobh smuainte, focal, no gniomh? Ch ‘n ‘eil a leithid so a dh’ ionracan r’ a fhaotainn am measg luchd-àiteachaidh na talmhainn gu h-iomlan, air pheacach na h-uile. Ach mur ‘eil neach air thalmh saor o pheacadh, no foirfe ann an naomhachd, no comasach umblachd iomlan a thòirt do ‘n lagh, tha e na ni cinteach nach “ feud feòil sam bith a bhi air a fire-anachadh trid oibríbh an lagh ann am fianuis Dé.”
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Feudaidh sinn fhoghlum o ‘n teagasg so, co feumail ‘s a tha e do no h-uile dhoine teicheadh a dh’ ionnsuidh Chriosd, croich an lagh chum fireantachd, do na h-uile chreidas. Cha’n ‘eil slàint’ air son pheacach ann an neach air bith eile—“ cha’n ‘eil ainn air bith eile fo neamh, air a thòirt am measg dhaoine, tre ‘m feud sinn a bhi air ar tearnadh.” “ An ti a chreideas anns a Mhac, tha bheatha mhaireanach aige; ach an ti nach eil a creid sinn anns a Mhac, cha ‘n fhaic e beatha, ach a ta fearg Dhé a gabhail comhnuidh air.” Tha Criosd na ionad fasgaidh d’ a phobull o stairm corruich Dhé, ague uime sin, tha e feumail do na h-uile le ‘n àill dol as o ‘n fhearg a ta ri teachd, teicheadh chum an didein so. An uair a bha am marbhaich’ o shean fo eagal tuiteam ann an lamh dhioltair na fola, thug e aghaidh gun dàil air a bhaile dhìon; air an amhuil cheudna, ‘n uair a tha daoine fo ghéurmhothachadh air cunnart an staid, mar pheacaich chaillte, tha iad a toirt an aghaidh gun dàil air Croisd, agus ullamh gu ràdh, “a Thighearna, co dh’ ionnsuidh an teid simn? agadsa tha briathra na beatha maireannaich.” Co dh’ ionnsuidh an do theich a mhuintir a bha air am bioradh ‘n an eridhe air là na Cuingis, ach a dh’ ionnsuidh Chriosd? O ‘n cheart là ud anns an robh iad air an dùsgadh, agus air an gairm o dhor-chadas gu solus, bhuanach iad an taice ri Croisd, air son fireantachd agus neart, gus an do chriochnaich iad an turus air thalamh.
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Anns an àite mu dheireadh, feudaidh simn a thoirt fa’neart, am feum sonruchta a tha aig peacaich a bhi air an teagsag, agus air an toirt gu eòlas air an staid chaillte leis an Spiorad Naomh. Ciod air bith co soilleir ‘s a dh’ fheudas luchd-teagaisg a bhi ‘g innseadh do dhoine mu thimchioll ole a pheacaidh, agus cunnart an staid, cha ghabh iad rabhadh, cha dean iad aithreachas, agus cha ghlaodh iad, “Ciod a ni simn gu bhi air tearnadh,” gus an d’ thig an Spiorad Naomh a thoirt dearbh-shoilleireachd dhoibh mu pheacaidh, mu fhìreantachd, agus mu bhreithneanas. ‘S e Spiorad na firinn a mhainn a tha comasach sùilane dhaoinne fhosgladh, an irioslachadh anns an dùslach fo mhothachadh air an cionta, agus an treòrachadh a dhìonnsuidh Chriosd mar ionad fasgaidh o ‘n fhear g ta ri teachd. Bidh saothair an fhir-theagaisg agus a luchd-èisdeachd le cheile, gun tairbh agus toradh, as eugmhais teagasg an Spioraid Naomha. Unne sin, bithemaaid le cheile a tagair, gu dìrachdach agus gu tric, g ‘m biodh an Spiorad air a dhortadh a nuas gu pailte, chum na mairbh a bheothachadh, agus nithe nach ‘eil idir ann a ghairm mar gu ‘m biodh iad ann.