Communions.
January—Fifth Sabbath, Inverness. February—First Sabbath, Dingwall; third, Stornoway; fourth, North Uist. March—First Sabbath, Ullapool; second, Ness and Portree; third, Finabay; fourth, Kinlochbervie and North Tolsta. April—First Sabbath, Achmore, Portnalong, and Stoer; second, Fort William; third, London and Greenock; fourth, Glasgow and Wick. May—First Sabbath, Kames and Oban; second, Seourie and Broadford; third, Edinburgh. June—First Sabbath, Tarbert, Applecross, Coigach; second, Shieldaig; third, Lochcarron, Glendale, Helmsdale, Dornoch and Uig; fourth, Inverness and Gairloch. July—First Sabbath, Lairg, Raasay and Beauly; 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, Finabay and Laide; fourth, Vatten and Thurso; fifth, Stornoway. September—First Sabbath, Ullapool and Breasclete; second, Strathy; third, Tarbert and Stoer. October—First Sabbath, Tolsta and Lochcarron; second, Gairloch and Ness; third, Applecross; fourth, Greenock, Lochinver; and fifth, Wick. November—First Sabbath, Oban and Raasay; second, Glasgow and Halkirk; third, Edinburgh, Dornoch and Uig. December—First Sabbath, London.
Special Notice.
We have published above all the Communion dates for the year 1954. Will ministers kindly check the list and forward a note of omissions or corrections to the Editor for 1955.
A “Black” Sabbath Day.
(A Statement by Sabbath Observance Committee.)
It was with considerable satisfaction, tinged with relief, that the press of this country recently recorded, as its principal item of news, the signing in London on Sabbath, 3rd October last, of the Nine Power Protocol which accepts in principle the ending of the occupation regime in Germany subject to the establishment of an Agency for the purpose of limiting the manufacture of arms as a safeguard against German aggression. First and foremost, so far as this country is concerned, the Agreement restores Britain to her position of leadership in Europe by her undertaking to keep her forces on the Continent indefinitely. Successive British Governments previously tried to reassume this leadership, although unsuccessfully, as they were not prepared to give the undertaking referred to, but Sir Anthony Eden, with the full authority of the Cabinet, has now compromised by accepting the commitment in question. He has been warmly congratulated on all sides for the successful outcome of his negotiations, even despite the heavy price paid, but it is of ill omen indeed that our Government should have arranged for the Treaty to be signed on the Lord’s Day, thus setting an example of flagrant Sabbath desecration.
At the same time, an account was given of a “very successful” meeting in Cairo on the same Sabbath Day between Mr. Anthony Nutting, our Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office, and Colonel Nasser, the Egyptian Prime Minister. The main point agreed upon was that Egypt’s claim for £64,000,000 for Customs dues on goods brought into the Canal Zone for British troops, and hitherto not acknowledged by Britain, should be written off against the very considerable value of the British installations to be handed over when the Zone is fully evacuated by British troops. In other words, the Egyptians will get 20/- in the £ in respect of a claim which is obviously more hypothetical than factual, as the British troops were in Egypt in the role of protectors of that country and for no other purpose. This is surely a glaring example of the ill effects of Sabbath Day diplomacy!
It was also then reported in the press that the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Lennox Boyd, while in Kenya, toured the Mau Mau trouble areas on the very same Sabbath Day with the Governor, Sir Evelyn Baring, and the Commander-in-Chief, General Sir George Erskine. One is hardly surprised, therefore, that these poor heathen tend to cling more closely to their own gods than ever before, when they see how the representatives of the Government of a so-called Christian country have no hesitation in trampling underfoot their own God’s injunction to remember the Sabbath Day and to keep it holy.
Finally, an account was given of a Marian Year Rally at Wembley, again on that Sabbath Day, when more than 80,000 Roman Catholics were permitted to attend the crowning of the statue of “Our Lady of Willesden.” The statue replaces one that had been removed and burned in the time of Cromwell. Would that the Most High would raise up another Sir Oliver!
This abominable function had received the full sanction of Rome and the actual crowning was carried out by Cardinal Griffin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster. It is lamentable that our authorities should authorise such idolatrous ceremonies to be performed in the open air or elsewhere in a Protestant country.
Our leaders certainly need the prayers of God’s people in these troublous times, but we would be failing in our duty if we did not take note of such God-dishonouring practices by members of the Government and did not protest most strenuously against them.
We had indeed looked for better things from a Conservative Government, seeing many members of that party have hitherto refrained from addressing meetings of their constituents on the Sabbath Day.
JAMES MACLEOD, Convener.
DONALD CAMPBELL, Clerk.
Congregational Financial Statements.
Congregational treasurers throughout the Church are reminded that their financial statements are to be submitted to their respective Presbyteries as soon as convenient, the financial year having ended on 31st December, 1954.
Records of Kirk Sessions and Deacons’ Courts.
The minute books of Kirk Sessions and Deacons’ Courts throughout the Church should now be sent for the annual examination to respective Presbyteries.
Printer’s Change of Name and Address.
Formerly N. Adshead & Son, 34 Cadogan Street, Glasgow, but now N. ADSHEAD & SON, LTD., 13 DUNDAS PLACE, GLASGOW, C.1.
Arrival of Deputy in Australia.
We have received word that the Rev. Finlay MacLeod, the Church’s Deputy to Australia and New Zealand, arrived safely at Sydney with Mrs. MacLeod, on Friday, the 10th of December, 1954. From correspondence we are glad to learn that they had a pleasant and comfortable voyage. For this favour the Keeper of Israel is to be praised. We trust and pray that Mr. MacLeod’s labours in the Gospel of Christ will be truly beneficial to the Lord’s people and a means, under the Holy Spirit’s power, of the conversion of sinners.
“The Shadow of Calvary,” by Dr. Hugh Martin.
We regret the delay in having this book issued. It is due to difficulties experienced by the printers, Messrs. Adshead & Son, Ltd., who have had to remove to new business premises. They expect to have it ready early in January and orders can now be placed with THE GENERAL TREASURER but Orders from U.S.A. must be sent to BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1019 WEALTHY STREET, GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, who have the selling rights there.
The Publication Committee anticipates a good circulation for this valuable book, which is moderately priced for sale in this country at 7/6d. net (postage 4d. extra).—W. Grant.