4 Shaftesbury Terrace, Glasgow, Jan. 6, 1911.—Dear Mr. M—, I have received your letter, and owing to the good tone of it, I write you again. I am pleased that you have not, like some others, written me in an unchristian strain because I pled with them against dancing, but that you have put it down to the credit of consistency on my part, which it really is. In my younger days I was given to dancing, but when it pleased the Lord to awaken me to a sense of my sins, the sin of dancing looked very black and terrible to me. I purposed that I would warn my fellow-sinners against it all my lifetime, and I have hitherto done so. The only reference to in the New Testament does not endear it to the Lord’s people, as it was the cause of beheading John the Baptist. You don’t find any mention of these sinful follies except to forbid them to true Christians. Please read I. Peter iv. 1-7. You will see by this that it is our duty, as followers of Christ, to abstain from all the sinful folly of the unregenerate; to set a sober and godly example before them, and that we should rather reprove sin than give the least countenance to it. I do trust that upon further consideration you will discard it at your marriage, as I am sure you will admit that that will be more in keeping with the fear of God. I do not write this because I want to interfere with your decision in the least degree—that you should have your own minister to perform your marriage—but as your friend. With best respects, Believe me, Yours very truly, Neil Cameron.
P.S.—That our Lord went to a marriage does not encourage dancing or drinking as you know.
Seirbhís Chomanachaidh.
Leis an Urramach Aindrea Gray a bha ann an Glaschu.
AN CEATHRAMH BÒRD.
I.
THA dà leabhar mhór a tha agaibh ri leughadh; ‘se sin, Chriosd agus sibh fhéin. Agus ‘se mo bheachd ‘n uair a leughas sibh a ‘cheud taobh duilleige de ‘n cheud leabhar, gu e ‘m faod sibh ioghnadh a bhi oirbh cia cho dorch ‘sa tha ‘ainm. Tha mi ag ràdh nach ‘eil ni a ‘smuainteachadh tu a bitheadh ‘ga do bhacadh bho thiginn a dh’ ionnsuidh Chriosd nach do ghabh e de ‘n ainm gu bhi ‘ga fheuchainn. Tha mi air bheachd gu bheil seachd ceisdean mór’ a tha bacadh a’ Chriosduidh o bhi dùnadh ri Criosd, agus tha iad uile air am freagairt anns an ainm oirdheire sin a ghabh Criosd dhà fhéin ann an Ecosodus, xxxiv. 6.
‘Se cheud nì, agus an nì mór a tha seasamh anns an rathad; cha dàna leam tighinn. Car son? Do-bhrigh gu bheil mi cho salach agus truailte. Nach ‘eil so air a fhreagairt anns an litir sin de ‘ainm, An Tighearn Dia, iochd mhor agus gràsmhor? Agus ged a tha sinn peacach, tha esan comasach air toirt air tròcair buadhachadh thairis air breitheanas.
‘Se ‘n dara nì tha seasamh anns an rathad nach tig iad a dh’ ionnsuidh Chriosd, so, O (their iad) cha’n ‘eil nì agam leis a mholas mi mi fhéin dhà. Ciod e tha dh’ uireasbhuidh oirbh? Tha mi ag iarruidh cridhe leis an tig mi, agus seudan, agus eudach oirdheire. Dh’ fheòraichinn a ‘cheisd so dhibh: “Am bheil uireasbhuidh neo-iomlanachdan ann oirbh?” O (their sibh) tha gu leòir againn dhiubh: mar sin cha’n ‘eil uireasbhuidh nì oirbh leis an tig sibh: agus tha sin air a fhreagairt anns an litir sin de ‘ainm, “Tha e gràsmhor.” Tha saorsa bheannaichte ann an iomairt a ghràidh.
‘Se ‘n treas nì a tha cur bacadh oirbh bho bhi dunadh ri Criosd, so, Cha’n e mhàin gu ‘n tug mi oilbheum an diugh, ach rinn mi e bho shean: agus tha sin air a ffreagairt anns an litir sin de ‘ainm, Tha e fad-fhulangach. Cha ghabh Criosd a bhi air a sgìtheachadh ann an fad-fhulangas.
‘Se so an ceathramh nì tha seasamh anns an rathad, O cha’n e mhàin gu bheil mi ‘nam pheacach, ach innsidh mi dhuit aidmheil creideamh. Iob xxii. 3. Nach ‘eil mo pheacaidhean mór? Agus nach ‘eil sin air a ffreagairt bho ‘n litir sin de ainm, Tha e pailt ann an gràs agus am maitheas? O a bhuaidh uasal a bhitheas aig gràdh thairis air ceartas, ma ‘s urrainn sinn a smuaineachadh gu ‘m bitheadh strì ‘sam bith eatorra; oir thug a chùirt so réite a stigh eadar ceartas agus gràdh; phòg ceartas agus gràdh a chéile.
‘Se an còigeamh nì tha seasamh anns an rathad, O cia lion eumhnant a bhris mi, agus cia mar is dàna leam tighinn gu Criosd? Nach ‘eil so air a ffreagairt anns an litir sin de ainm, Tha e pailt ann am fìrinn? Innsidh mi dhuibh giùlan Chriosd agus nan creidmheach air an t-slighe gu nèamh, ann an aon fhocal; cha’n ‘eil latha nach ‘eil iadsan a ‘call an greim air Chriosd, ach O cha’n ‘eil esan uair air bith a ‘call a ghreim dhiubh-san. Am faic sibh riamh càirdean a ‘gabhail a chéile ‘nan glacaibh? ‘S ann mar so a tha e, ‘n uair a chailleas sinn ar greim air Chriosd, tha na gàirdeanan sìorruidh aige-san mu ‘n cuairt oirrne: na gàirdeanan sin a spion an tòiseach a mach a h-ifrinn sinn, agus aig a bheil greim oirnn chum ar tarruing a stigh do nèamh. O air son an tarruing sin nach miannaich-eamaid gu bràth tarruing eile as a dhéigh.—Eadar-theangaichte le I.M.
Ri leantainn.