IN submitting this report, it may be stated that Rev. D. M. Macdonald, Portree, returned from Canada and the U.S.A. last June. As his report to the Synod last year indicated, he visited all our stations in Canada and the U.S.A. The Rev. J. P. Macqueen had left Vancouver the previous March for Australia, hence our congregations in Canada had to be supplied by our elders for a considerable time.
During the summer months both Revs. D. A. Macfarlane, Dingwall, and M. Gillies, Stornoway, were asked to go as Deputies; but for reasons which the Committee thought sufficient, they both refused. The Committee then asked the Rev. D. Macleod, Shieldaig, and he consented to go for one year. Mr. Macleod left Glasgow near the end of November, 1935, and began his labours in Canada on the first Sabbath of December, reaching Winnipeg before the second Sabbath, and he has remained there until the month of May this year.
As already stated, Rev. J. P. Macqueen left Vancouver in March, 1935, to visit our people on the Clarence River, Australia. He was asked to remain there for eight months; but a request reached the Committee last July, from our people in this far off land—that Mr. Macqueen should be left there until the end of the year. We asked Mr. Macqueen to remain two months longer than his original time. A Petition was received early this year from our congregation on the Clarence River, requesting that the status of the congregation be raised to a regular charge and placed under one of the home Presbyteries, with power to call a minister. This Petition the Committee has sent to the Synod for your serious consideration. Our people on the Clarence River are without the public means of grace; except when a minister from Scotland visits them. In Ballina things are different as they have services every Sabbath day.
Mr. Macqueen left the Clarence River near the end of last year. His letters indicate that he received much kindness from our people and that they showed real interest in the gospel message. Free Presbyterians in Sydney and the surrounding districts had the opportunity of hearing our Deputy preach once or twice and the benefit of a visit from him. Mr. Macqueen preached in Auckland, New Zealand, on his way to Australia and arranged for a longer visit on his return journey. The Committee readily granted Mr. Macqueen permission to embrace New Zealand as part of his field of labour and he spent about a fortnight in this interesting country.
He arrived in Vancouver near the end of last January and has since then supplied our congregation there.
It has been arranged that Rev. D. Macleod will (D.V.) assist at the communion in Vancouver on the fourth Sabbath of May, and remain there for four months. Mr. Macqueen will take up the work in Winnipeg about the beginning of June. As he expects to be home early in October, it is intended that he will visit Rodney and Detroit in September.
It must be evident to the Synod that what is required in Canada is to have ministers settled over our congregations if our cause there is to be maintained. It is our prayer that this would be accomplished; but until that time comes the ministers of our Church must take their share in this important work. We would impress upon our brethren that however much sacrifice is entailed in a year’s absence from one’s home and congregation, yet it is the Lord’s work and He does compensate to such an extent, that the sacrifice will vanish out of sight through the abundant supply of the presence of our gracious Lord and Saviour.