Communions.
January—Fifth 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 and North Tolsta. April—First Sabbath,
Breasleate and Portnalong; second, Fort William and London; 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, 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, Bracadale, North Uist and Plockton; fifth, Achmore and Thurso. August—First Sabbath, Dingwall; second, Portree and Stratherrick; third, Bonar, Finsbay and Laide; fourth, Vatten and Stornoway. September—First Sabbath, Ullapool and Breasleate; second, Strathy; third, Tarbert and Stoer; fourth, Kinlochbervie. 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 1955. Will ministers kindly check the list and forward a note of omissions or corrections to the Editor.
Sabbath Travelling by Royal Family.
TO THE QUEEN’S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
The Western Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, convened at Kyle of Lochalsh, Ross-shire, on the 28th day of June, 1955, took into its serious consideration the increasing amount of Sabbath profanation in high places in Your Majesty’s Realm, and view with grave concern the part which Your Majesty took on two particular occasions in such profanation of God’s holy day, that is, in travelling by air to London on a recent Sabbath, and more recently still, in leaving Norway for Britain on a Sabbath.
We hereby utter our solemn and emphatic protest against such flouting of God’s Moral Law, which says: “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day, and hallowed it” (Exodus xx. 8-11).
As loyal subjects of Your Majesty’s Dominions, having Your Majesty’s highest interests in view, we pray Your Majesty to desist from such flagrant desecration of God’s day, which, if unrepented of, is sure to bring God’s wrath upon the Nation, and upon all who continue in it.
On behalf of the Western Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
(Signed) JOHN COLQUHOUN, Clerk.
Prime Minister’s Broadcast on Lord’s Day.
TO THE RT. HON. SIR ANTHONY EDEN, Prime Minister of Britain.
The Western Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, convened at Kyle of Lochalsh on the 28th day of June, 1955, took into its serious consideration the increasing amount of Sabbath profanation which is to be found in the nation, and in this connection, view with grace concern your action in broadcasting on a recent Sabbath in connection with the Railway Strike which then prevailed, and we hereby utter our solemn and emphatic protest against such gross desecration of the Lord’s Day by the leading statesman of the nation. While we believe that you, Right Honourable Sir, did it with the best intentions, and on account of the fact that there was a state of emergency in the country at the time, it is not without significance that what was calculated to help the situation only kindled the fires of controversy, sowing seed which may yet bring forth bitter fruit.
Remember, Right Honourable Sir, that the disposal of the affairs of nations is in the hand of God who says, “Them that honour me, I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed” (I Samuel ii. 30).
On behalf of the Western Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
(Signed) JOHN COLQUHOUN, Clerk.
Synod Standing Committees.
As names are omitted from two Synod Standing Committees, as published in the Synod Proceedings (1955), we herewith give the full personnel of:—
(1) Finance Committee.—Revs. D. J. Matheson (Convener), Arch. Beaton, Donald MacLean, D. A. Macfarlane, William MacLean, with Mr. A. Cameron-MacIntosh.
(2) Training of Ministry Committee.—Revs. Wm. Grant (Convener), F. MacLeod, R. R. Sinclair, Arch. Beaton, with Messrs. Finlay Beaton, Alex. MacLennan (Dingwall), and Thos. Macrae.—Robert R. Sinclair, Clerk of Synod.
A Day of Prayer Throughout the Church.
It was decided at the Synod in May that Wednesday, 21st September, or Thursday, 22nd, be observed as a Day of Humiliation and Prayer throughout the Church on account of the low state of vital godliness in the Land.—Clerk of Synod.