Communions.
— August—First Sabbath—Dingwall; second, Stratherrick and Portree; third, Laide and Bonar-Bridge; fourth, Finsbay and Stornoway. September—First Sabbath—Ullapool, Breasclete, and Vatten; second, Strathy; third, Stoer and Tarbert (Harris); fourth, Broadford (note change of date). October—First Sabbath, Tolsta; second, Gairloch and Ness; third, Scourie; fourth, Lochinver and Wick. South African Mission—The following are dates of the Communions:—Last Sabbath of March, June, September, and December. Note.—Notice of any additions to, or alterations of, the above dates of Communions should be sent to the Editor.
Northern Presbytery’s Protests Against Sabbath Desecration.
—At a meeting of the Presbytery, held at Inverness, 29th June, the following protests were made, with instructions that copies of the protests be sent to the officials immediately concerned, and also to the M.P.s for the Northern Highlands area:—
“The Northern Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland enter their vigorous protest against the action of the Naval Authorities in opening their ships for the inspection of the public on the Lord’s Day, thus encouraging men to travel long distances on the Lord’s Day to take advantage of the opportunity offered of seeing the warships. The Presbytery would respectfully remind the Admiralty and those responsible that the Lord gave this day to raise people’s minds above the world. It was never intended that it should be used for the inspection of weapons of destruction. The Presbytery would further remind those in authority that the Fourth Commandment is binding on all, rich and poor, rulers and ruled, and also that it is the law of Scotland acknowledged in the Confession of Faith.”
“The Presbytery also desire to enter their strong protest against the Railway Companies and also Motor Companies for their daring encroachment on the sanctity of the Lord’s Day in running trains, ‘buses, and cars, in direct violation of God’s commandment, thus manifesting clearly that for filthy lucre’s sake they desire to pander to the tastes of a pleasure-loving and God-forgetting people. The Presbytery would remind the said Companies that all such gain is accursed of the Lord, who has given one law to all moral agents, and who is the moral Governor of the Universe. He has also given His oath that every knee shall bow to Him and every tongue confess.”
College Fund.
—The collection for this month is for the College Fund.
Short Obituary.
—We are sorry to record the death of Mr Alexander Macaskill, missionary, Braes, Portree. Mr Macaskill was at Raasay Communion, and spoke with acceptance on Friday at the Question Meeting. Next day he passed away at 11 a.m. in the house of Mr Maclean, tailor. A fuller notice will appear (D.V.) later on.
Reprint of Synod’s Statement on Public Conveyances, etc.
—For the benefit of our people we are reprinting this Statement, which appeared in our July issue, in pamphlet form. It may be had from the “Courier” Office, Inverness, one dozen, post free, 1s; or 1d each, post free 1 $\frac{1}{2}$ d.
Ministerial Supply for Communions.
—To avoid misunderstanding for the future, we herewith give the exact terms of motion passed at last Synod in connection with ministerial supply for Communions:—”The Synod hereby give notice, that supply for Communions must be arranged through Moderators of ordinary charges and mission stations, and they would point out that neither missionaries nor individual office-bearers have any right to make such arrangements independently of kirk-sessions, and they would also emphasise the fact that Congregational Committees have no powers to interfere with the spiritual jurisdiction of kirk-sessions.”
Ordination of Rev. D. Urquhart and Dr Macdonald.
—The ordination of Rev. D. Urquhart took place in the Hall of St Jude’s, at 7 p.m. on 25th July. As the Magazine was passing through the press at the time, we cannot do more meantime than simply chronicle the event. A fuller account will (D.V.) appear in our next issue. We take this opportunity of informing our readers that the Southern Presbytery meet (D.V.) on 14th August, at 7.30 p.m., in the Hall of St Jude’s, for the ordination of Dr Macdonald, prospective medical missionary to our South African Mission.
Winnipeg.
—Intimation has been received that the three Winnipeg elders (Messrs Lachlan Ross, Alexander Macfarlane, and William Sinclair) have sent in their resignations. At a congregational meeting, held on 27th June, a motion to the following effect was carried by a considerable majority:—”In view of the finding of the Synod of May 1928 anent the resolution on church privileges, this congregation agree to honour said finding, and to submit to same.” Prior to this motion being put to the meeting, one of the congregation moved that “This congregation declare its disapproval of same [i.e., finding of last Synod], and refuse to submit to said finding.” But as there was no seconder, the motion fell to the ground. The Rev. J. A. Tallach asked those who did not vote for the motion that became the finding of the meeting, were they prepared to attend and support the congregation in Winnipeg. And he reports:—”They all gave the requested promise (among whom were the three elders).”
Mr Norman Shaw’s Case.
—Lord Moncrieff’s judgment in the Outer House of the Court of Session allowing an issue in the slander action by Mr Norman Shaw, the dismissed lighthouse-keeper, against his former employers, the Clyde Lighthouses’ Trustees, has been reversed by the First Division, Lord Sands dissenting. This means that Mr Shaw has lost his case in his action for slander.