IN recent times it has been circulated among our people that Mr. Macfarlane remained in the Free Church all the time between his Protest in May and the setting up of the first Presbytery on 28th July 1893. That is a false statement. How subtle beyond words is Satan when masquerading as an angel of light. We are told to “try the spirits whether they are of God.” There is ample evidence to blast this false charge. We have Mr. Macfarlane’s own words: “If it be asked, why did it (the separation) not take place in 1892 when the change was made? The answer is, some did speak of separating at that time, but there was a cry among the Constitutionalists to keep together, to act in concert, and to wait until they should exhaust all constitutional means in their power to persuade the Assembly to reconsider their action with a view to the rescinding of the Declaratory Act. At the Assembly of 1893, there was an effort made by the Constitutionalists to this effect, but the Assembly refused to rescind the Act or even to appoint a Committee to consider whether anything should be done with a view to its being rescinded, which was all that the motion of the Constitutionalists craved. The Assembly made it distinctly clear that they would never rescind the Act. There was, therefore, no alternative left for us but to separate. We waited with the Constitutionalists as long as we could, or perhaps longer than we should. We cannot be justly charged with having been too hasty in the step we took, though the charge has often been made” (Memoir of Rev. D. MacDonald, pp. 34, 35).
* Taken almost verbatim from articles by the Rev. James MacLeod hitherto published in the Magazine and from unpublished article by the same.—W. M.
The Rev. Neil MacIntyre, then a student, was present in the Assembly when Mr. MacFarlane tabled his Protest. When Mr. MacFarlane left the Assembly, Mr. MacIntyre invited him to go to Glasgow with him, and this Mr. MacFarlane did. When they arrived in Glasgow there were waiting for them there, Messrs. Neil Cameron, Alex. MacRae, D. Beaton and others. At 147 Albert Street, Glasgow, Mr. MacFarlane addressed them, and informed them that he had tabled his Protest and thereby had separated from the Declaratory Act Church and party for all time. This gave great relief and satisfaction to the above, who were then students, and to others. It was arranged that Mr. MacFarlane would go to Tignabrauich, Kyles of Bute, for the Sabbath. Mr. MacIntyre accompanied him. This was the first occasion on which he met the late, saintly, Mr. Archibald Crawford. It was like two weary travellers meeting in a pleasant oasis with its cooling shades and refreshing fountains.
Mr. A. Crawford had read an incorrect account in the press to the effect that Mr. MacFarlane had tabled a Protest, took it back, and resumed his seat. When Mr. MacFarlane explained the true position to Mr. Crawford, the latter asked Mr. MacFarlane: “Am I to understand that you tabled a Protest and left it on the table of the Assembly, and that you are separated from that body?” Mr. MacFarlane replied in the affirmative, saying: “If the Lord gives me strength, they will never see me in their company again.” Mr. Crawford uncovered his head, and in an audible voice thanked the Most High for the stand His servant made in defence of the truth, and prayed that Mr. MacFarlane might be strengthened by His grace for the solemn duties then confronting him. Mr. MacIntyre, who witnessed this, said on more than one occasion that the meeting of these two godly men was one of the most touching he was ever privileged to witness in this world.
It was arranged that the congregation of Mill-house, Kames, should get an opportunity on the following Monday of hearing Mr. MacFarlane, and of knowing for themselves what transpired in Edinburgh. The congregation met, and Mr. MacFarlane addressed them, explaining to them what he did and where he stood. Mr. Crawford also addressed them, and said: “I saw this bastard child being formed in the womb of the Free Church when Drs. Dods and Bruce were made professors, but seeing that the constitution was not altered, I did not separate. But now that the bastard child is born in the Declaratory Act and her constitution is broken, I am done with the Church, whatever others may do.” When the question was put to the congregation whether they would remain in the Declaratory Act Church or not, all present but six declared their adherence to the stand made by Mr. MacFarlane. This was the first congregation which stood by the servant of God in defence of truth and righteousness.
On his return home to Raasay he called a meeting of his own congregation on the Monday of Communion (second Sabbath of June). At this meeting he gave a lecture explanatory of the situation. A large congregation was present, gathered from different parts of the West of Scotland. At the end, when all who adhered to the Bible in its entirety as the Word of God, and to the Confession of Faith in all its doctrines as hitherto held by the Free Church, were asked to stand up, all present, with the exception of half-a-dozen, stood. Mr. MacFarlane then requested the strangers present to sit down so that it might be seen how the Raasay congregation were. It was then seen that the few objectors, with one exception, belonged not to his own congregation.
Immediately after this meeting, a meeting was called at Inverness, and on Tuesday evening following a large gathering assembled. The Rev. Donald MacDonald, Shieldaig, who was present, took his stand with Mr. MacFarlane. It was decided that immediate steps be taken to form a Presbytery (see History of the Free Presbyterian Church, pp. 111, 112). And yet in the face of all this, the learned “young men” will hold and circulate that Mr. MacFarlane was still in the Free Church until 28th July, 1893 and did not regard himself as separate! The Constitutionalists who remained in the Free Church held a meeting at Inverness on 3rd July, 1893. In their speeches they adversely criticised the separation made. Not only did the Free Church hold Mr. MacFarlane separate, but they did not even pay him the salary due to him before the meeting of the last Assembly which he attended. Mr. MacFarlane told us this. The records, if still extant, will show this to be true.
I hope that I have said enough to enlighten your minds and enable you to follow the Word of God. What Satan may do and say is another matter. You follow the Word of God in faith, love and humility.
Extract of Letter by late Rev. D. MacFarlane.
Regarding his separation from the Declaratory Act Church, the following extract is from a letter that the late Rev. D. MacFarlane wrote to the Northern Chronicle in reply to some criticisms of the late Prof. Kennedy Cameron. He says:— “I remained a year without taking up a separate position. The reason was that the Constitutionalists asked me not to separate till they would make an effort to make the Assembly repeal the Act. They were to do this at the meeting of Assembly of 1893. I was a member of the Assembly that year. The Assembly refused to repeal the Act. When I saw that, I tabled my protest; and took up a separate position in defence of the truth. It is very mean of Mr. Kennedy Cameron to cast up to me now that I remained a year with them, seeing it was to help them I did so.” (Free Presbyterian Magazine, vol. xxviii., p. 150.)