BY THE REV. N. MACINTYRE.
The Canadian Mission Report will be short on this occasion for various reasons. The Committee would express their regret that they are not able to present a more encouraging one. As the Synod is aware, serious questions have arisen in some of our congregations in Canada, but as these matters are to come before the Synod we will not refer to them here further.
As was mentioned in former reports, there are three stations which come under the jurisdiction of the Committee, viz., Vancouver and Winnipeg in Canada and Detroit in the United States:—
(1) VANCOUVER.
Mr Donald Matheson, who laboured so assiduously and faithfully in this congregation for several years, expressed a desire last year to be allowed to return to Scotland. The Committee could not but grant his request, and so he arrived in this country about the beginning of last November. He is now in charge of our London congregation.
Mr Hugh Mackay, our respected elder in Vancouver, is conducting the services every Sabbath since Mr Matheson left. We have reason to acknowledge the Lord’s kindness in raising up a man to step into the breach and keep an open door for poor sinners who desire to worship God according to His Word. The Committee would express their indebtedness to Mr Mackay for his services. Mr Mackay reports that a large number of children attend the Sabbath School.
When Mr Matheson left I wrote Mr Mackay, and asked him to let us know what they expected us to do in supplying the Mission. He replied that their Committee did not wish a layman to be sent, and that they preferred to wait to see if the Lord in His kind providence would incline one of the ministers to go and labour among them. We approached several of our ministers, but hitherto have failed to persuade any of them to go. There is also the problem of travelling expenses to be faced. The congregation is not strong numerically, and while we admired their noble efforts to meet their own share of the travelling expense of former delegates, the heavy burden which necessarily would be incurred in going such a distance would possibly be more than they could bear.
Since I began this report I had a letter from Mr Mackay, in which several of the older ministers were mentioned whom they wished the Committee to approach with a view to go to Vancouver for some months. On receipt of this letter I wrote asking them to let us know if they were prepared to defray all the expenses of a delegate. There has not been sufficient time to have a reply to this letter. But before approaching any of the ministers mentioned the Committee would like to know, in the event of the Vancouver congregation being unable to meet the whole expense, would the Church be prepared to come to their help. The Committee would desire to impress upon the members of Synod that this congregation deserves all the help and sympathy which the Church can give, for they have faithfully and constantly adhered to all the findings passed by the Synod.
May the Lord of the Harvest, who can say “to this man go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh,” open the heart and ears of one of our ministers to hear this Macedonian cry and come to their help.
(2) WINNIPEG.
The Rev. James A. Tallach, who went out to this congregation in October 1926 as an ordained missionary, is still labouring among them. He agreed to remain until after the Synod’s finding regarding the trouble which has arisen in the congregation. As this matter is subjudice we are waiting the decision of the Synod before taking any further steps in arranging for supply.
(3) DETROIT.
I had no communication this year from Mr Kenneth Mackenzie, who looks after the interests of our Mission in Detroit. Our people there are much isolated, and would no doubt be pleased to see one of our ministers paying them a visit. They are few in numbers, but they are loyal and warm-hearted Free Presbyterians. We feel keenly for them being deprived of the public means of grace, where they could worship according to the rule of God’s Word and their own conscience. May He who hears the cry of the young ravens make up to them in private what they lack in public.
The Committee would take this opportunity of sending a message of encouragement to our loyal people in Canada and the States and at the same time express their regret that no deputy has yet been appointed for this year. They hope, however, that in the near future one will be sent to break the bread of life among them. The Committee would also impress upon our people to “hold fast the form of sound words,” and “not to cast away their confidence which hath great recompense of reward.”
In conclusion, we would remind the Synod and the Canadian Mission that there is now 28 years since our first deputy visited Canada. We have reason to believe that the labours of our deputies were not in vain, and we are certain that they were much appreciated by our Canadian people. We therefore earnestly pray that the efforts put forth at present by the enemy to cause trouble may be thwarted, and that “his mischief return upon his own head, and his violent dealing come down upon his own pate.”