Communions.
January—Fourth Sabbath, Inverness. February—First Sabbath, Dingwall; third, Stornoway; fourth, North Uist. March—First Sabbath, Ullapool; second, Ness and Portree; third, Finsbay and Lochinver; fourth, Kinlochbervie; fifth, North Tolsta. April—First Sabbath, London, Portnalong and Breasclete; second, Fort William; third, Greenock; fourth, Glasgow and Wick. May—First Sabbath, Kames and Oban; second, Scourie and Broadford; third, Edinburgh. June—First Sabbath, Tarbert, Applecross, Coigach; second, Shieldaig; third, Lochearron, Glendale, Helmsdale, Dornoch and Uig; fourth, Inverness and Gairloch. July—First Sabbath, Lairg, Raasay and Bealy; second, Staffin, Tomatin and Tain; third, Halkirk, Rogart, Flashadder and Daviot; fourth, Achmore, Bracadale, North Uist and Plockton. August—First Sabbath, Dingwall; second, Portree and Stratherrick; third, Bonar, Finsbay and Laide; fourth, Vatten and Thurso; fifth, Stornoway. September—First Sabbath, Ullapool and Breaslete; second, Strathy; third, Tarbert and Stoer. October—First Sabbath, Tolsta and Lochearron; second, Gairloch and Ness; third, Applecross; fourth, Greenock, Lochinver and Wick. November—First Sabbath, Oban and Raasay; second, Glasgow and Halkirk; third, Edinburgh, Dornoch and Uig. December—First Sabbath, London.
We have published above all the Communion dates for the year. 1953. Will ministers kindly check the list and forward a note of omissions or corrections to the Editor.
Appointment of a Day of Prayer.
The Synod, at its meeting in May, appointed a Day of Prayer as follows:—”That Wednesday or Thursday before the last Sabbath of September, namely, 23rd or 24th September, 1953, be appointed a Day of Humiliation and Prayer to be observed throughout the Church on account of our manifold departures from the Word of God as a people and the low state of religion throughout the Nation.”
Sustentation Fund.
While appeals are made from time to time on behalf of the various Church Funds yet no appeal has been made directly to our people on behalf of the Sustentation Fund, which of all Funds may be considered as the most important. While our people have at all times given well in support of the Sustentation Fund yet during recent years the financial position of our country has undergone a change and the value of money reduced while the cost of living is ever increasing. With this in view it was necessary that salaries of Ministers and Missionaries should be increased, thus it is desirable that the givings of the people should keep pace with this necessary increase. In reviewing the past 60 years and the wonderful provision made for maintenance of the Cause may we not conclude with the Psalmist, “The Lord of us hath mindful been.”
J. GRANT, General Treasurer.
Ordination of Rev. D. A. Maclean, M.A.
The Southern Presbytery, at a meeting held in St. Jude’s Hall, Glasgow, on Wednesday, the 3rd day of June, 1953, ordained the Rev. D. A. Maclean, M.A., Probationer, as Missionary to our South African Mission in Ingwenya. The Moderator of Presbytery, Rev. D. Campbell preached a very appropriate sermon for the occasion from Mark xvi., 15. Thereafter the Clerk put the usual questions to Mr. Maclean, who, on answering them satisfactorily and signing the formula, knelt and was set apart to the office of the holy Ministry by solemn prayer by the Moderator and laying on of the hands of the Presbytery.
After receiving the right hand of fellowship the newly ordained Minister was suitably addressed by Rev. J. Tallach, who had laboured in our South African Mission for over twenty years.
There was a large congregation and much solemnity characterised the proceedings. It is our fervent wish that Mr. and Mrs. Maclean will be brought safely over sea and land to Ingwenya where we hope and pray his labours will be owned and acknowledged by the Holy Spirit in the conviction and conversion of sinners, and in the strengthening and encouragement of the people of God in our South African Mission.
D. J. MATHESON, Clerk, Southern Presbytery.
Lochbroom Church Building Fund.
At a recent meeting of the Lochbroom Deacon’s Court it was decided to take steps to build a new church. The present one, a corrugated iron structure, and one of the first to be built after the Free Presbyterian Church took up a separate position, has served its day, and in spite of all the care bestowed upon it to keep it in repair, is no longer suitable as a place of worship, especially in winter.
The congregation have already done very well and are still prepared to do their utmost by way of raising funds for the erection of a new church, but on account of the high price of building material and the necessity of erecting a building with the utmost speed, they feel that they cannot face the task alone. They, therefore, appeal to friends throughout the Church in the hope that the Lord, who has the hearts of all in His hand, will move some, at least, to help them. Contributions will be gratefully received by the Rev. D. N. Macleod, F.P. Manse, Ullapool, or by Captain A. Corbett, Broom Cottage. Ullapool.
The Western Presbytery cordially endorse the foregoing appeal.
D. R. MACDONALD, Moderator.
JOHN COLQUHOUN, Clerk.
Rev. D. A. MacLean, M.A., Leaves for Africa.
Rev. D. A. MacLean, M.A., who was recently ordained to the African Mission, sailed for Africa with his wife in the ship “Rhodesia Castle,” on Thursday, the 16th July. In a letter from Mr. MacLean he expresses the desire that friends in the Church will remember Mrs. MacLean and himself at the Throne of Grace. They expect, the Lord willing, to arrive at Cape Town about the 10th of August.
Departure of Rev. D. A. MacLean, M.A.
On Monday, the 13th day of July, Rev. D. A. MacLean and Mrs. MacLean left Inverness on the first stage of their long journey to our Ingwenya Mission in Southern Rhodesia. The following Thursday they sailed from London aboard the “Rhodesia Castle” to Cape Town, from where they will proceed by train to Bulawayo and so to Ingwenya.
We would ask the Lord’s people to bear our Missionary upon their spirits at a Throne of Grace asking that the Lord would bless him in body, soul and circumstances, giving him many souls for his hire, and using him as an instrument for the building of the walls of Sion among the natives of Rhodesia.—D. MACLEAN, Clerk to the F.M. Committee.