THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.
THE Assembly met on Tuesday, the 19th day of May, 1953, and appointed Professor J. Pitt-Watson, D.D., as the new Moderator. The Duke of Hamilton was the Lord High Commissioner of this year’s Assembly, and in his Address to the Moderator referred to the presentation of the Holy Bible to Her Majesty at her forthcoming Coronation. He spoke of the “devotion of our Church to the sacred authority of the Holy Word.” It would be well if such devotion were as genuine and faithful as it ought to be on the part of many professed ministers and many of the laity.
Queen’s Letter to the Assembly.—The Principal Clerk read this letter, in which Her Majesty pledged herself anew to uphold the rights and liberties of the Church of Scotland. Her Majesty also looked forward to sharing in the congregational worship of the Church. And in view of the Coronation wrote—”We draw strength and comfort from the knowledge that we are supported by your thoughts and prayers . . .” Her Majesty expressed the desire that a distraught world would be brought to peace by the compulsion of the Gospel; and concluded with a reference to the presentation of the Bible to her at the Coronation. May the religious sentiments and hopes of Her Majesty be realised spiritually by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Her Majesty and the Church in Scotland.
Church Finance.—Mr. G. I. Stewart, C.A., convener of the General Finance Committee said, “Some are saying to-day that the Church is on the retreat, and I am bound to say that during my period on this Committee the figures hardly justify any great belief to the contrary.” So it seems from Mr. Stewart’s report that another £100,000 per annum is required by the Church of Scotland for current work. The people of Scotland, as elsewhere, spend huge sums regularly on vanity and pleasure, but lack in right giving to the Church.
Membership of the Church.—Dr. White Anderson reported that the membership of the Church had increased by 5,441, and now stood at 1,278,468. As we have observed more than once, if all these members in full communion were persons truly “born again” and living according to the holy gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, what a wonderful Scotland we would have. There were 2,322 churches, served by 2,182 ministers, said Dr. Anderson. And we say, what a power for good it would be in this our land if these 2,182 were engaged in preaching the whole counsel of God and the pure gospel of Christ to sinners as such!
New Clerks.—On the retiral of Rev. Dr. Thos. Caldwell from the Principal Clerkiship of the Assembly, the Rev. William MacNicol, B.D., Longforgan, was appointed in his place. The Rev. James B. Longmuir, M.A., B.L., was appointed Depute Clerk. He is minister of Chirnside.
Church Building Programme.—Professor Riddel said as an outcome of a former appeal, they had been enabled to build 40 buildings. “If the new areas with their teeming population are allowed to go pagan the whole of Scotland will suffer irreparable loss,” said the Professor. The sad thing is, that there are virtually thousands of pagans to-day in towns and cities served with the most comfortable church buildings. The paganism is here apart from the lack of churches and ministers in new housing areas. Those that have found new homes in newly built communities, took their irreligion or Christianity with them from their old quarters. But although we write thus, we do recognise the immense problem facing those who genuinely desire to follow the people with the Word of God and His Scriptural worship, to the end that they be converted and saved through the means of grace and by the Holy Spirit.
Gaelic Speaking Students Ordained.—Dr. MacDonald referred in his Home Board Report to the fact that eleven students with a knowledge of Gaelic had been ordained and inducted to parishes in the North and West during last year. The Church of Scotland are meeting with increased difficulties as to filling vacant charges in the Highlands with Gaelic-speaking men. The Free Presbyterian Church, with vacant charges also in the Highlands, are favoured with the services of God-fearing laymen to expound the Word of God to the people in such charges, although such men are not as numerous as we would like.
Answer to Queen’s Letter.—The Assembly’s answer to this letter contains a sentence we were glad to read, viz., “We learned with deep satisfaction of the way in which Your Majesty bound yourself on your Accession to preserve the settlement of the true Protestant Religion in Scotland, and we thank Your Majesty for so readily and willingly renewing that obligation now.” And so, we say, let the whole people of Scotland sincerely support Her Majesty in this, not merely in words, but in deeds, at a time when the Roman Church is actively engaged to obtain power in this Realm.
A Strange Statement.—The Rev. D. P. Thomson made a strange statement, in the light of the Assembly’s answer to the Queen’s letter. He said, “In Scotland all their great missions had been on a completely inter-denominational basis, and they had had the warm goodwill of the Roman Catholic Church, again and again—an expression of unity which he did not think could be found anywhere else in the English-speaking world.” Now, if we know anything of the attitude of the R.C. Church to heretics, even to-day, the aforesaid statement is strange indeed. What unity can the professed Protestant Church have with Rome? What a mixture we perceive among the ranks of the Church of Scotland ministry! And what a dangerous mixture!
No Revision of the Psalter.—It was gratifying to learn that a Committee appointed to examine the question of revising the Psalms in metre, reported that it could not see its way to interfere with the “words which our forefathers have sung.” An attempt was made in the Assembly to lay this task upon another Committee, but this proposal was defeated. And so the Psalms in metre will be left to rest awhile from the modern tactics of an “up-to-date” clergy.
Foreign Missions.—Rev. Robert Ross, of Hamilton, submitting the report of the Foreign Missions Committee, said, among other things, “The missionary had learned quickly . . . that the African did not want and would not long tolerate him as a dominant master or even as a kindly father, but would welcome him and work loyally with him as a partner and brother.” Mr. Ross also said regarding the African Christian, that there was constant pressure either to forsake his Church—which so many saw as the symbol of the dominant white—or to turn it into an instrument of his people’s political aspirations. We consider these observations to be true and wise, portraying as they do the conditions prevailing in many Foreign Mission areas in Africa. Indeed the task of the missionary to-day has become delicate and difficult. To revert to Mr. Ross’s report, he declared that Church of Scotland congregational contributions to Foreign Mission work were the highest on record, viz., £210,000. But it was not nearly enough.
Candidates for the Ministry.—The report of the Committee on Education for the Ministry revealed the shortage of candidates for the ministry. The Rev. George S. Gunn, Edinburgh, stated that the Church of Scotland needed 100 new candidates every year. Financial support for students was described as “niggardly.” Of course when we come down to fundamentals regarding the office of the ministry of the gospel, the leaders of the Church of Scotland appear to give no place to the absolute necessity of a call by grace, and a special call by God to the work of the ministry of the gospel of Christ. It seems that ministers are to be turned out like teachers, doctors, etc. Truly it is God’s work to convert a sinner, and commission that man to the ministry of Christ’s gospel. What a plague to Scotland a dead ministry has been! This is part of the spiritual judgments of to-day.
Central African Federation.—The General Assembly gave long consideration to this question, and adopted finally the following deliverance:—“The General Assembly, noting that Central African Federation seems now inevitable, still deplores the fact that the consent of the Africans has not been obtained, and calls upon the Governments and all concerned to take action to ensure that Africans are convinced of the sincerity of the proposed partnership, and urges upon all concerned to give the federal scheme a fair trial, in the hope that it may prove beneficial to the three territories.” The three territories are Southern and Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
Communism.—Rev. G. M. Dryburgh in presenting the report of a Commission on Communism said, “Let us not forget that Communism has not abandoned in the slightest its avowed aim of conquering the world, as is evident from the recently issued instructions of the Cominform to the Communist parties in all countries.” Mr. Dryburgh continued, “So long as we are complacent about this tragedy, we are heading straight for a famine of the hearing of the Word of God. What would this land be like if the manses were empty, the churches closed, and the preaching of the gospel were no more throughout the land?” We certainly think that Mr. Dryburgh has asked a very pertinent and solemn question.
The Moderator’s Closing Address.—There is one part of this address which bears repetition inasmuch as it savours of plain gospel truth, viz., “It is a world of races and classes alienated from each other. But the malady of the world has a deeper seat than that. It is a world of sinners estranged and alienated from God. But the Church which carries the mission is . . . a Church bringing to man a message of unquenchable hope and the ministry of reconciliation . . .” It were better if the Moderator’s address was more largely concerned with this theme, extended in the light of Scripture.
THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
THE Assembly met in Edinburgh on Tuesday, the 19th of May, 1953, and appointed as its new Moderator, Rev. Alexander R. Fraser, M.A., Dumbarton, who has been a minister of the Church for 27 years.
The Moderator’s Address.—He said, “War . . . had for too long pursued its ugly course to the indictment and detriment of the nations—a pathetic witness to man’s fallen state, incorrigible wickedness, and utter inability to rescue himself or rectify his environment.” There was a lack of spiritual life, neglect of divine ordinances and a lowering of moral standards, and a materialistic outlook, he said. The cause of youth delinquency, he thought, would be found in the religious departures of the preceding generation, with its want of family religion and lack of parental control. With this view we heartily agree.
Welfare of Youth.—Rev. Hugh G. Mackay, Aberdeen, in presenting the Report on Welfare of Youth, declared that there were parents who had forgotten their baptismal vows for their children. Speaking of a fall in the number of adherents, he said there was no doubt there was grievous lapsing. There were those who left the Free Church and joined other communions, and others drifted out into the world and formed no church connection whatsoever. He said that the Church must do something for the young people in their leisure hours and so they had adopted the Campaigner movement. What the nature of this movement is, we know not. We do know that quite a few Free Church congregations are associated with the Boys’ Brigade movement.
And we question if there has been on this account any betterment in the movement of the young towards regular Church going to hear the gospel. The movement that is needed, first and last, for young and old, is that brought about by the Holy Spirit, a movement away from sin, and a fleeing to Christ. Professor A. M. Renwick, whose utterances we have not always appreciated in the past, put his finger on a vital matter. He said, “It was most important that parents should bring their children to Church regularly.”
Ministers’ Stipends Inadequate.—Mr. W. M. Mackay, Dundee, submitting the report of Finance Advisory Committee, stated that the ministry of the Free Church was increasing in numbers, but that the equal dividend was in continual peril. Rev. Donald Mackay, Watten, speaking for the Sustentation Fund Committee, said that they should aim at an equal dividend (i.e., minimum salary for all ministers) of £375 for 1953. The Rev. James W. Fraser, Plockton, said that all we are pleading for in the Church is that we should get a living allowance. He said that even £500 should be the target. Mr. Fraser’s aim may be high for Free Church or Free Presbyterian ministers. But we sympathise to-day with ministers who have large families, that is, from the economic point of view. Yet, where there is trust in the Lord, He will provide; although this does not relieve responsible professing Christians from their obligations to support the ministry.
Senior Clerk Congratulated.—The Moderator referred to the fact that Rev. William MacLeod, Senior Clerk to the Assembly, had been elected Provost of the Burgh of Dornoch, where he is minister of the Dornoch Free Church congregation. The Moderator offered the Assembly’s felicitations on this account and on the fact that Mr. MacLeod had attained his semi-jubilee as minister of Dornoch. As to a professed minister of the gospel still in charge of a congregation becoming a Magistrate, we have our misgivings. What may be lawful is not always expedient. Mr. MacLeod is of course a prominent member of Sutherland County Council, and much time and energy must inevitably be taken up with secular duties which might otherwise be devoted to the claims of the Church.
An Appointment for an Episcopalian.—Mr. Brewster, a member of the Episcopal Church, was appointed to the Free Church office staff as Depute Treasurer, which includes secretarial duties. This was approved on the recommendation of the Finance Committee. It was stated that the committee had not received any application for the post by any member of the Free Church. All we will say here is that the appointment seems somewhat odd.
Religion and Morals.—Rev. A. MacDonald, Duke Street, Glasgow, gave in the Report on Public Questions. He stated that Roman Catholicism was growing in the industrial parts of the country, for two reasons—larger families and immigration. On Sabbath Observance, Mr. MacDonald referred to Sabbath travel in the Highlands, the
defeat of the Sunday Observance Bill, and to the fact that there were more Sabbatarians in England than in Scotland. Rev. Professor R. A. Finlayson said that the Sabbath Day was a barometer of the people’s spiritual life. We make no apology for once more raising the question as to whether the Free Church still permit their ministers and members in full communion to travel by tramcars, etc., on the Lord’s Day, in the cities of the South. Where is the line to be drawn, if this is the case? These members would need to be permitted also to engage as drivers and conductors, and so on. And what exactly is the difference between playing polo on the Sabbath Day and driving a tramcar or a bus for wages on that same day? Wherein consists the witness for the Sabbath?
Committee on Evangelism.—Rev. A. MacLeod, Partick, declared that men looked for “an easy religion on the easiest possible terms.” The Church, he said, was conscious of the surge of irreligious life in the world round about them. The great need of the hour was the need for repentance. Yet, Mr. MacLeod said, there was a real spiritual hunger in certain quarters. We ask, what is the nature of this hunger and in what quarters does it exist? It certainly exists in the souls of those who are being taught and led of the Holy Spirit, wherever such are.
Free Church Singing.—The Rev. J. W. Campbell said, “It is sad to realise that the standard of singing up and down our congregations is very low.” The Rev. Hugh G. Mackay stated that there seemed to be little or no enthusiasm among the congregations, and that no injunction from the General Assembly is going to do any good whatever to make the churches sing.
United Effort in Evangelism.—The Moderator, Rev. Alexander Fraser, in his closing address to the Assembly, called for a united and energetic effort by the whole Free Church to meet the challenge of the religious situation. He asked for an all-out campaign of evangelism, exercised with prudence and courtesy. We here venture to suggest that professing Christians should testify to the Lord Jesus and the preciousness of the gospel, among other ways, principally by a life, conversation and example becoming the gospel, in their homes, at their work and in the community where they reside. The world takes note, the unconverted measure the Christian, as they view the Christian from day to day. Who can tell what the effect may be if all who profess the Lord Jesus Christ were consistent and more consistent than they are in their life and conduct.
Free Church Fellowship in the Worship of Other Churches.—An appeal and complaint concerning the alleged practice of ministers and professors, when taking part in services in other churches, using the forms of worship prevalent in these churches, were submitted to the Assembly from the Synod of Ross. Some member of Dingwall Free Church Presbytery had moved a motion in that Court, making allegations against brethren unnamed, to the effect that they had been
guilty of a breach of ordination vows, without indicating in what respects they had been guilty. The Presbytery, by a majority, decided to pass from the motion; that is not to deal with. But apparently some members, or a member of the Presbytery, knowing the whole intent of the motion, complained to the Synod against the action of the Presbytery in not dealing with and examining into the whole substance and intention of the motion. It seems to us that those who complained to the Synod were such as felt the motion was aimed at them. The complaint was dealt with by the Synod of Ross, which reversed the judgment of the Presbytery, and thereby instructed the Presbytery to deal with the motion and examine into it, and in giving their judgment the Synod went further than the case required in law, and went on to deal with the facts underlying the motion, viz.: The Synod also expressed disapproval of the practice of ministers and office-bearers in the Free Church using in any circumstances forms of worship other than those authorised in the Free Church. The Synod, going further than the case before them permitted, thus brought their action and the whole underlying business before the Assembly by way of appeal. Now what was that underlying business? The practice of Free Church ministers holding services in congregations of other denominations and using uninspired hymns and departing from the form of worship generally sanctioned in the Free Church. From the speeches of parties at the bar of the Assembly, it was made palpably plain that there is an actual and sharp cleavage of opinion as to what Free Church ministers may or may not do in the light of their ordination vows anent the conducting of services in other denominations, such as, say, the Church of Scotland, with the use of uninspired hymns, etc. Rev. J. W. Fraser, Plockton, was out and out against curtailment of freedom in this matter. He said, “The acceptance of the judgment of the Synod would cut members of the Free Church from taking part in any worship outside the Free Church, however evangelical. Anything that interfered with the catholicity of the Church, I will contend against to the utmost of my powers.” But Rev. W. McQuarrie, Knockbain, one of the senior ministers of the Free Church, had something else to say. He said, “They had liberty to preach the gospel anywhere but only if accompanied by the forms of worship sanctioned in the Free Church. If ministers and others were hankering after uninspired materials of praise, they could leave the Free Church and go where they could get these.” It is good that Mr. McQuarrie is one who does not mince his words, and is not afraid to bid farewell to ministers who do not appear to know to which denomination their allegiance belongs. Mr. McQuarrie further referred to the practice of the early church, from the time of our Lord, as to the use of the Psalms. The doctrine and the practice of the Free Church stood or fell together, he said. Professor A. M. Renwick made a speech on historical grounds, the gist of which was, that many of the Fathers, especially after the Disruption, were involved willingly in hymn
singing and organ playing services in other churches. He further said, in speaking of the finding of the Synod of Ross (and we infer that part of it which condemned participation in services with hymns, etc.) that the accepting of it would make the work of the Free Church throughout the land in many respects impossible. What an admission for a Free Church leader to make, in defence of the liberty to participate in the services of other denominations and forms of worship inconsistent with the recognised Free Church forms! Rev. Murdo Macrae, Kinloch, said, among other things, that what was wrong inside the church was surely wrong outside the church. And we do not see anything wrong in Mr. Macrae’s argument. Rev. K. Macleay referred to this practice which was causing disunity and disharmony among brethren. It was a solemn matter, he said, that we should be a divided church.
There is one main conclusion that the onlooker upon this controversy can safely come to, and that is, that those who represent the people of the Free Church in their Assembly, and desire to hold to the old paths, as to forms of worship, are now in a minority; and those whom we may describe as the “advanced party,” are in the majority and carry the day on the floor of the Assembly on every issue of this kind.