Having been asked by the present Convener of the Canadian Committee—the Rev. Finlay Macleod—as to whether I would be willing to go to Detroit for three months, I expressed my readiness to go as the way was opened up for me in God’s providence to do so and through the good offices of Superintendent Macaskill, Glasgow, I secured a comfortable stateroom on the S.S. Cameronia of the Anchor Line and sailed from Glasgow on the 6th October for Boston and New York.
Rev. R. Mackenzie, Glasgow, and Rev. W. Grant, Halkirk, kindly accompanied me on the liner to Greenock. After a stormy passage for most of the voyage we arrived, by the good hand of God upon us, safely in New York on Monday the 15th of October. Owing to my having frequently crossed the Minch between the mainland and the Western Isles I was spared the disagreeableness of being seasick on the great Atlantic although its huge billows shook us from stem to stern.
I was hospitably entertained in New York by Mrs. Maciver, a daughter of our worthy elder Mr. John Macaulay, Applecross, and to her and Messrs. Murdo, Roderick, and Farquhar Macleod whose father was a member of the Portree congregation, I am deeply indebted for their assiduous attentions to my needs while in the city. I conducted two week-night services here and afterwards proceeded to Buffalo where I held services on Sabbath the 21st October in the home of Mrs. Beattie and was accommodated in the home of Mrs. Maciver, mother of our student, Mr. Wallace Nicolson. I also received the kind hospitality of Mrs. K. R. Macdonald, a loyal adherent of the Church for many years.
From Buffalo I went to Toronto and held a week-night service in the Reformed Presbyterian Church, which was well attended. Mr. and Mrs. Roderick Campbell with their usual kindness entertained me while there and Mr. Campbell drove me from Toronto to Simeoe, where we called on Mrs. Munro, and afterwards to Rodney where, as arranged by our considerate Detroit Treasurer, Mr. Kenneth Mackenzie, services were to be conducted on the 28th of October. It was a sincere pleasure to meet our dear friends Mr. and Mrs. Maclellan after the lapse of almost twenty years and to find them in fairly good health.
Services were conducted in the local school on Sabbath and some days afterwards, taking leave of my kind host and hostess I proceeded to Detroit.
Regular services were conducted here from the 4th of November to the 27th January, 1935. In this city I enjoyed the hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Morrison and latterly of Mrs. R. S. Mackenzie to all of whom I would here express my gratitude for their kindness. I baptized three children whose parents are connected with our congregation here.
Many who had been in Detroit left owing to the depression but notwithstanding that, the Gaelic service was well attended also the evening service in English at times. The usual week-night meetings were held in the house of Mrs. Mackenzie who has all along taken a warm interest in the Cause and before leaving I arranged that meetings should be held in her home each Lord’s Day.
I think I should record my deep appreciation of the generosity shown me by the friends I came in touch with in this great city and my prayer for them is that the Lord would bless them with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Leaving Detroit on the 31st of January, I arrived in Winnipeg on Friday the 1st of February and lodged with Mr. and Mrs. William Sinclair where I felt at home having stayed under their hospitable roof the last time I was in the city. I was glad to find them and the other friends in this city well. Between preaching and visiting the time passed quickly. I think I visited all the families in the congregation, some of them twice. We had goodly gatherings here at the Lord’s Day services and the Communion was dispensed on the 10th of March, one new member being added to the Roll. It was a time of happy fellowship and we trust profitable to immortal souls. The congregations on Sabbath were large. There was a great blizzard some days before the Communion but fortunately it did not interfere with the services. It was calculated that 2,700,000 tons of snow had fallen on the city alone. I was glad to see such a comfortable church here with so many attached families in the congregation. From all of them I received great kindness.
I left Winnipeg for Vancouver on Tuesday the 12th of March and stopped at Saskatoon for two nights, lodging with Mr. and Mrs. D. Morrison. A service was conducted in the house of Mr. John Morrison for friends who had gathered there. I conducted also a service in Red Deer arranged by Mr. Lachlan Maclean and afterwards proceeded to Innisfail where I spent a night with our esteemed elder, Mr. A. Mackay. Mr. A. Beaton, Calgary, made excellent arrangements for the services there on Sabbath the 17th March and they were largely attended. Our Cause here deserves every encouragement and if possible a Deputy should give two or three months to this city. Mr. and Mrs. Beaton attended well to my needs while with them.
I arrived in Vancouver on Thursday morning the 21st of March and was met by the Rev. John P. Macqueen and Mr. Hugh Mackay, Elder, who kindly conveyed me to my lodgings at Mr. and Mrs. Laing’s, Willow Street. From them I received much kindness.
The Communion services there were conducted from the 21st to the 25th of March with the usual fellowship meeting on Friday and there were large congregations most of the time, friends coming from a distance to hear the Gospel. We believe some would have to say it was good for them to be there. The order and solemnity maintained on Sabbath were impressive and we may well conclude that the Lord Jesus was present with His people at the feast.
The Rev. John P. Macqueen gave valued assistance throughout the services and many friends gathered at the dock on Wednesday the 27th March to bid him Godspeed on his voyage to Sydney. I hope on my return to visit the various stations again (D.V.) and would here acknowledge the loving kindness of the Lord to me in all my travels. Not only has He kept me in health but He has also enabled me to fulfil all engagements without a hitch a matter to be grateful for when one considers the tremendous bustle of cities here and the vast distances one has to travel.
Mr. Allan Macleod is diligently carrying on the services in Winnipeg and Mr. Hugh Mackay will do the same in Vancouver (D.V.) after I leave.
Having now been five Sabbaths in Vancouver I am sending this supplementary report to cover my period of service up to date.
We are having well-attended services and our people here take a warm interest in the Cause and are very loyal and steadfast. I have visited in the short time at my disposal, I think, the most of them and have been very kindly received.
Our energetic elder, Mr. Hugh Mackay, assisted by our other faithful elder, Mr. John H. Macleod, is most active in looking after the interests of the congregation and has a promising group of young people in his Bible Class. He is helped in Sabbath School by Miss Macdonald who teaches the younger children.
It is encouraging to see so many young people under the sound of the gospel in our congregation here and in due time they may become strong supporters of the Church and true followers of the Lord Jesus.
Mr. Farquhar Matheson has been elected a deacon and will be duly ordained to office (D.V.). It would be very desirable to have a minister settled in both Vancouver and Winnipeg as soon as possible.
To Mr. and Mrs. Laing I am much obliged for their kindness while with them and also to the families of the charge for their unstinted hospitality.
When passing over the magnificent Rocky Mountains I was reminded of the atheist and communist who was so impressed with their grandeur that he believed God alone could have created them and was eventually led as a needy sinner to Christ who saved him.
That beautiful verse in Isaiah showing the permanent nature of the covenant blessings bestowed on the Lord’s people and their absolute peace and security in their glorious Redeemer—”The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee,” occurred to me showing that even these mountains might be removed but gospel blessings are everlasting.
In conclusion I may say that I believe it is the desire of all of us that the Lord would bless our dear people in the United States and Canada with His grace and enable them faithfully to adhere to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of all sorts of erroneous views, strange cults, false gospels, corrupt practices and unscriptural “isms.”