Church Notes

Communions.

January—Fourth Sabbath, Inverness. February—First Sabbath, Dingwall; third, Stornoway; fourth, North Uist. March—First Sabbath, Ullapool; second, Ness and Portree; third, Finsbay; fourth, Kinlochbervie and North Tolsta. April—First Sabbath, Portnalong, Breaselete and Stoer; second, London and Fort William; third, Greenock; fourth, Glasgow and Wick.

Corrections in the above dates to be notified at once to the Editor.

The Royal Commission on Marriage and Divorce.

The Religion and Morals Committee of the Church has sent a Memorandum to the recently appointed Royal Commission on Marriage and Divorce, the gist of which is, that the teaching of Scripture on the subject of divorce is epitomised in the Westminster Confession of Faith where it is stated that “Although the corruption of men be such as is apt to study arguments, unduly to put asunder those whom God hath joined together in marriage; yet nothing but adultery, or such wilful desertion as can no way be remedied by the Church or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage: wherein a public and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed and the persons concerned in it not left to their own wills and discretion in their own case” (Chapter xxiv. Sect. 6).

On the question of “Marriage with certain relations by kindred or affinity,” the attention of the Royal Commission is also directed to the Confession of Faith, Chapter xxiv. Sect. 4, where it is stated: “Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the Word; nor can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties, so as those parties may live together as man and wife. The man may not marry any of his wife’s kindred nearer in blood than he may of his own, nor the woman of her husband’s kindred nearer in blood than of her own.”

The Committee suggested that the following remedies should be recommended by the Royal Commission:—(1) The grounds for the granting of divorce should be restricted to the limits which the Scriptures set forth, that is, adultery and wilful desertion; (2) Only the innocent party should be allowed to marry again; (3) Where a married person, for the purpose of obtaining a divorce, is known to be cohabiting, or has cohabited, at a known resort, with other than his or her lawfully wedded spouse, and is convicted of such conduct, the same should be severely punished by fine or imprisonment, or both.—JOHN COLQUHOUN, Convener.

Form of Bequest.

The Finance Committee, having been instructed by the Synod to draw up a Form of Bequest for the assistance and guidance of such as may desire to bequeath sums of money to the various funds of the Church, have approved of the following:—

FORM OF BEQUEST.

I hereby leave and bequeath to the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland for behoof of (here specify the particular fund or funds) the sum of Sterling (this sum should be stated in words, and not in figures) free of legacy duty, the legacy to be payable upon the receipt of the General Treasurer for the time being of the said Church, whose receipt shall be a valid and sufficient discharge.

(Signature)

Note.—The above must be included in a properly executed will or signed before two witnesses or have the words ‘adopted as holograph’ in the writer’s own handwriting above his or her signature.

General Building Fund: Notice by Finance Committee.

In these days of rising costs, both in labour and material, combined with difficulty in building new churches and manses, our present Church Buildings assume a value out of all proportion to their original cost. It is, therefore, in the interests of all to ensure that these buildings are kept in a good state of repair, and it is a grave dereliction of duty on the part of any Deacons’ Court to neglect such a serious matter.

The last meeting of Synod adopted a motion to the effect that the functions of the General Building Fund should be briefly explained in a notice in the Magazine, for the benefit of Deacons’ Courts and Congregational Treasurers. The following should be of assistance to such as intend claiming from this Fund:—

1. The Fund exists to assist in paying off debts incurred in the purchase or construction of new buildings.
2. While it is a settled principle that each congregation is responsible for the state of repair of its own existing buildings, it is recognised that when considerable structural alterations or repairs are carried out, a congregation, involved in such heavy expenditure, may find itself in debt. Claims of this nature will be considered on their merits.
3. In the case of (1) above, the Congregational Treasurer should send a statement of the amount outstanding to the General Treasurer, Mr. John Grant. Claims in respect of (2) should also be lodged with the General Treasurer, giving in addition, a brief indication of the nature and extent of the work carried out.
4. These claims are considered by the Finance Committee, who make allocations from the Fund.

Binding Church Magazines.

The following directions are now given to those who have Magazines ready for binding:—

1. Between 7th and 28th January, send your Magazines direct to Messrs. N. Adshead & Son, 34 Cadogan Street, Glasgow.
2. Please have each year’s Magazines from Number 1 to 12 carefully put together. (Synod Proceedings for that year may be added.)
3. Give distinctly your name and address, with instructions in the parcel, saying if you wish the Magazines bound in yearly or two-yearly volumes.
4. The Young People’s Magazine should be kept separate from the ordinary monthly, and note that they are to be three years to one volume.
5. The contract price is to be paid to Messrs. Adshead, as follows:—
6. 2s. 6d. for yearly volume.
7. 2s. 8d. for two years in one volume.
8. 2s. 8d. for three years of Young People’s Magazine in one volume.

W. GRANT, F.P. Manse, Halkirk.