WITH this issue the Magazine begins its thirtieth volume. The Free Presbyterian Church came into existence as a separate denomination in May 1893, and three years later the first number of the Free Presbyterian Magazine was issued in 1896. Those whose memories carry them back to those eventful days are a gradually diminishing number, while in the course of the years there has arisen a generation which did not witness the events leading up to the formation of the Free Presbyterian Church. These events may be traced along two main lines, viz., Principal Rainy’s cherished dream of voluntarizing the Free Church and bringing it into line with the United Presbyterian Church and the leavening of the Free Church’s doctrinal position by the higher critical views as introduced by Prof. Robertson Smith. Principal Rainy lived to see the dream of his life an accomplished fact, and whatever verdict the future may pass upon him as an ecclesiastical leader, there can be little doubt that the Highlands of Scotland will unhesitatingly lay to his charge that his ecclesiastical policy led to the greatest church wrecking the Highlands have seen since the days of 1843, when the obstinate policy of the civil power swept the Established Churches of almost all their congregations in the North. To bring about the desired Union, Principal Rainy saw that it was necessary to bring the doctrinal position of the Free Church into line with that of the United Presbyterian Church. Hence the Declaratory Act was passed. Strong protests were made against it, and if one were to judge from the words used, one would naturally expect to see these zealous orators not only eloquent in words but also in deeds. When the time of decision came, however, there were only two ministers who put their words into practice, and these were not the most vocal in saying
what they would do. Happily one of them, Rev. D. Macfarlane, Dingwall, is still with us, and still preaching, though he has reached, we believe, the patriarchal age of ninety years. The other, the Rev. D. Macdonald, one of the most spiritually-minded men whom it was ever our lot to meet, passed to his everlasting rest a number of years ago. Principal Rainy’s effort to dilute the pure Calvinism of the Confession of Faith with Arminianism was about as successful as the attempt of the man who tries to mix oil with water. But contemporaneously with this ecclesiastical movement, there was a doctrinal sapping and mining of the foundations of the Free Church. Dr Robertson Smith’s appointment to a professorial chair was one of the most unfortunate decisions ever made by the General Assembly of the Free Church. A brilliant scholar, with gifts of the highest mental order, which unfortunately were used in a bad direction, Prof. Robertson Smith soon showed that he could give expression to the views he had imbibed from Prof. A. B. Davidson, and which had their origin in the German theological schools. In this controversy it was soon seen that many in the Free Church were more concerned in supporting the distinguished scholar with his rationalistic views than they were in defending the Word of God. As time went on the leaven of doubt in the Scriptures spread, until at length it was considered a mark of up-to-date scholarship, not only to have a knowledge of the new views, but to have sympathy with them. Troubled and concerned with the ecclesiastical policy of Principal Rainy, with its recognition of Voluntaryism and the teaching of the Declaratory Act, and the growing disbelief in the infallibility of the Word of God, thousands left the Free Church in 1893. It was like going out of Egypt, and there was great rejoicing. The mind travels back to those happy days when unity and peace reigned in the Church and when the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit was manifest in our congregations. Some of us were privileged to see men and women who adorned the doctrine of God their Saviour—beautiful characters, whose hearts were sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and whose lives were a noble testimony to the work of divine grace—but these are now at their everlasting rest. They ran the race nobly to the end, and with all their fears reached the end of the journey without renouncing what they had so manifestly proclaimed to the world as that which they regarded as God’s truth.
There were also departures in the Free Church from the purity of God’s worship which had been causing
concern to those who desired to worship God in accordance with the rule set down in His Word, and in this again the verdict of majorities, often consisting of graceless professors of religion, was no longer a burden to those who cast in their lot with the Free Presbyterian Church.
It was to maintain and set forth the principles and doctrines held by the Disruption Fathers that the Free Presbyterian Magazine went forth on its useful career. For twenty-five years it was under the able and highly acceptable editorship of the late Rev. James S. Sinclair, who is at rest from his labours. The present Editor has now entered on his fifth year of editorial duties, and has in the main followed the lines laid down by his predecessor. The circulation of the Magazine, we are pleased to say, is steadily increasing, and the Editor takes this opportunity of thanking those who, by their words of encouragement, materially lighten the editorial burdens. A word of thanks is also due to his brethren in the ministry, and to the missionaries of the Church, and others who have been helpful in extending the circulation of the Magazine. Friends who appreciate its contents could still further extend its circulation by either subscribing for an extra copy to be sent to a friend, or by getting some of their friends to subscribe for it.
What the future has in store for our Church is known to the Lord alone, but whatever it may be we have received sufficient kindness at His hands to put us under obligation to be thankful all the days of our life. The advancing armies of Satan are getting more aggressive—elated with success—they have directed their plan of campaign so as to overthrow the very citadel of the faith. In the professing Church we have the insidious and destructive criticism of the Word of God at work; in the State a powerful party has arisen, which is giving too much place to men who fear neither God nor man; and in the learned world, in almost every department of mental activity, Evolutionism is too readily accepted as an explanation of the marvellous works of creation, while the great Creator is ruled out of His own world. In addition to all this, a spirit of worldliness has swept over the professing Church of Christ, until at length the world and the Church are too often found walking hand-in-hand.
We view the future with no hopeless feelings, as if the cause of Christ in the world is a cause destined to lose in the end. On the contrary, believing as we do God’s marvellous promises to His Church, the future
is bright with promise. Darker days may come, and the hearts of men may fail them for fear, but God’s Word will stand, and whether we shall live to see the dawning of those brighter days or not, we are not forgetful of what the Apostle says in reference to the time when all Israel shall be saved, and when the Gentile nations will rise as from the dead.