BY REV. D. M. MACDONALD.
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 Simeco, 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 Innsfail 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 hustle 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.”
Report of the Committee Appointed by the Synod to Investigate the Position of Employees in Sabbath Coastal Shipping.
BY REV. JAMES MACLEOD.
AS far as we are aware the Steamships “Hebrides” and “Dunara Castle” usually remain at the pier at which they happen to be, on Saturday, during the Sabbath Day, but it is possible that in their case, there are times when they sail on Sabbath afternoon to reach their next port of call that evening in order to be ready to begin to discharge their cargo early on Monday morning.
The weekly cargo steamer that plies between Glasgow and Stornoway used to sail on Sabbath in order to arrive at Portree early on Monday morning in order to be ready to discharge her cargo on Monday morning. During recent weeks this boat
docked in Stornoway even before the close of the Sabbath. The mail steamer that runs between Kyle and Stornoway arrives each evening about 8 p.m. and leaves every night except Saturday night at 11 p.m. When she reaches Stornoway on Saturday all the cargo at hand is put on board, and all mails from all parts of the Island which can possibly be ready.
She lies at the pier from Saturday night till 11 p.m. on Sabbath night. The reason advanced for not postponing departure till after midnight is, that if that were done it would upset traffic between Stornoway and London. The mail steamer from Harris, N. Uist, etc., is not involved in the common encroachments on the sanctity of the Lord’s Day. As a rule she reaches Kyle in good time on Saturday and does not leave before 6 a.m. on Monday.
In connection with Sabbath sailings between Ireland and England, and Ireland and Scotland, we have investigated the following cases. The arrivals in Ireland are e.g., Waterford, 2.10 a.m. Sabbath morning, Cork, 11.20 a.m., Rosslare, 6.20 p.m., Dublin, 10.43 p.m.; all on the Sabbath. A special Saturday night service from Ireland arriving in London on Sabbath is noted. Fishguard Harbour is left at 3.55 a.m. Sabbath, arriving London 9.45 a.m. Then we note the Belfast—Liverpool service. Vessels leave Belfast 9 p.m., connecting usual Sabbath trains. Then the Liverpool—Belfast service is carried on on the same lines—leaving Liverpool 10.15 p.m. daily. Steamers leave Glasgow for Belfast 10.45 p.m. on Saturday and arrive in Belfast 8.30 a.m. on Sabbath.
Londonderry to Glasgow service—leave 7 p.m. arriving at Glasgow Sabbath morning, calling at Greenock and landing passengers.
Investigation as to Clyde sailings, L.M.S. and L.N.E.R. boats run on Sabbath during the Summer season to all ports on the Clyde and as far as Campbeltown. So far every port is open for Sabbath sailing with the exception of Tarbert, Loch Fyne, and Ardrihsaig.
It is to be also noted that some of the Anchor Line Steamers are in the habit of cruising during the summer season at weekends round the West Highland coast.
The Committee would also point out with very few exceptions pleasure yachts sail from port to port on Sabbath at the will of their owners.
It is also a common thing to go cruises on the Lord’s Day, so that the men employed on these yachts belonging to our Church are undoubtedly involved in Sabbath desecration.
The Committee cannot justify on any grounds that it is proper for shipowners on the Coastal Service of the British Isles to leave port on Saturday evenings when they know full well before hand that they are encroaching on the Lord’s Day.
It has also come to our notice through investigation that sailors employed on these steamers are in the habit of washing down decks and painting and varnishing on the pleasure boats, on the Lord’s Day. The Committee would also point out that as far as we can possibly ascertain there is no regard for the sanctity of the Lord’s Day at all, nor its claims and obligations. In fact, shipowners and their agents endeavour to have their ships sailing on the Lord’s Day on the Coastal Service in order to enable them to arrive at their port of call on Monday. It is painfully evident that shipowners whose vessels ply on the coast of Scotland, England and Ireland, with few exceptions, have no conscience for the observing of the Lord’s Day. Their main objective is their own worldly gain.
We feel most deeply for our men employed in the service of such who care nothing for the honour of God’s law, and the well-being of their servants. The Committee would solemnly and seriously advise our men and others not to seek employment in the service of such companies as disregard the claims of the Fourth Commandment—”Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.”
Report of the Committee Appointed to Consider Various Aspects of the Sabbath Question.
THE above Committee met in Glasgow on the evening of April 16th, 1935, when all the members were present with the exception of the Rev. D. M. MacDonald who was in Canada.
After some consideration of various points raised, the Committee unanimously came to the following finding:—
The Committee respectfully recommend to the Synod, that a Standing Committee be appointed to be known as the Sabbath Observance Committee, and for the purpose of dealing with questions of general interest relating to Sabbath Observance. The Committee shall recommend to the various Presbyteries of the Church the line of action to be taken in any particular case.
Report of Editor of Magazine.
I HAVE already in the May issue of the Magazine called attention to the fact that it has now entered on its 40th year. During that time its circulation has gradually increased. The Magazine has gone beyond the borders of Scotland and found not only interested but appreciative readers in other lands as our correspondence indicates. While it is gratifying to know that it has readers beyond the pale of the Free Presbyterian Church we never forget that it is the organ of the Free Presbyterian Church and that it is not the exponent of any individual’s opinions.
It remains for me to end with the pleasant duty of tendering my thanks to all those who in any way lightened the editorial labours during the year. In a standard expository work on the Pilgrims Progress there is a number of persons classified under the category of Helpers and it struck me in reading about them
what a noble band they were and at times how little they knew how encouraging their kindly help was to the pilgrims. One helped in this way and another helped in another and so cheered and encouraged the pilgrims. I, too, have had such helpers and I feel grateful to them all—to the ministers who sent sermons and other matter—to the missionaries who sent extracts from books they were reading—to those who were* diligent in their efforts to circulate the Magazine, one good friend going the length of advertising it in quite a number of English religious papers with considerable success—and to the large number who sent me newspapers, religious periodicals, and extracts from religious books. I regret I was not able to make use of all these but only of some. We would need a Magazine double the size to give them all a place. In making a selection it is possible that some of those who sent such contributions may have a very poor opinion of the editorial discernment as far as literary contributions are concerned. It is to be hoped, however, that they will continue this much appreciated service and if what they send does not appear that they will exercise a kindly feeling towards the editor and remember that he has the frailty of the race to which he belongs. I may be permitted to inform this class of helpers who send extracts that the fruit of their work is not consigned to the waste paper basket but kept in hand for a rainy day.
I have also to thank those who kindly sent me translations into Gaelic of pieces that appealed to them in their reading. These translations gave variety to the Gaelic appearing in the Magazine.
The financial aspect of the Magazine is sound. Owing to the change of the date of the ending of the Magazine’s financial year there is an apparent deficit as was anticipated when the change was made; it is to be hoped that this will be rectified for next year—in fact the Treasurer informs me that at the end of April the balance to credit is almost as good as last
year’s. A copy of the Magazine Financial Statement is audited by the Church’s auditors yearly and copies are sent to all the members of the Magazine Committee and is herewith submitted to members of Synod for inspection.
I submit this Report at the beginning of the fortieth year of the Magazine’s existence for the Synod’s approval accompanied with the prayer that the God whom we all profess to serve may bless its message in the future as we know He has done in many cases in the past. We crave the prayers of God’s people for a blessing on our editorial labours and on the sermons and articles appearing in the Magazine.