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, Portnalong and Breaseleate; second, Fort William; third, London and Greenock; fourth, Glasgow and Wick. May—First Sabbath, Kames and Oban; second, Scourie; third, Broadford and Edinburgh. June—First Sabbath, Tarbert, Applecross, Coigach; second, Shieldaig; third, Lochcarron, Glendale, Helmsdale, Dornoch and Uig; fourth, Gairloch; fifth, Inverness. 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 and Vancouver (Canada); second, Portree and Stratherrick; third, Bonar, Finsbay and Laide; fourth, Vatten, Stornoway and Thurso. September—First Sabbath, Ullapool and Breaseleate; second, Strathy; third, Tarbert and Stoer. October—First Sabbath, Tolsta and Lochcarron; 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.
SPECIAL NOTICE: All changes in above Communion dates to be notified to Editor, for 1957 (D.V.).
London Communion Services.
The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, London Congregation, St. Michael’s Hall, Eccleston Place, opposite Victoria Coach Station, Buckingham Palace Road, London, S.W.1. In connection with the dispensation of the Lord’s Supper on Sabbath, 21st April, 1957, the following services have been arranged (D.V.), to be conducted by the Rev. R. R. Sinclair, Wick, and the Rev. D. M. MacLeod, Lairg:— Thursday, 18th April, 7 p.m.; Friday, 19th April, 3.30 p.m. (Gaelic), and 7 p.m. (Fellowship Meeting); Saturday, 20th April, 3.30 p.m., and 6.30 p.m. (Prayer Meeting); Sabbath, 21st April, 11 a.m., 3.30 p.m. (Gaelic), (with English Service simultaneously in Bridewell Hall, London City Mission, Eccleston Place), and 7 p.m., Monday, 22nd April 3.30 p.m. (Gaelic) and 7 p.m. For the benefit of Free Presbyterians in outlying districts we may state that all the week-day services will be held in the Bridewell Hall, and only the Sabbath services in St. Michael’s Hall.
Services are held every Sabbath in St. Michael’s Hall, at 11 a.m., 3.45 p.m. (Gaelic), and 7 p.m. Weekly Prayer Meeting in St. Michael’s School House, opposite St. Michael’s Hall, on Wednesday, at 7 p.m.
Letter from Rev. James Fraser, M.A., African Mission.
In a personal letter to us, dated 18th January, 1957, Rev. James Fraser writes from Mbuma where he is stationed on the Church’s S. Rhodesian Mission. He states that owing to family circumstances, he was at Ingwenya for three week-ends at the latter part of December last. We are sure Mr. Norman Miller and other friends would be pleased to have Mr. Fraser resident among them and taking services. Mrs. Fraser, who had been unwell, is now making progress towards recovery. When on his return home to Mbuma, he broke his journey at Zenka, for Sabbath, 6th January, and took services there. We remember well, the large congregations of natives of all ages which gathered at Zenka and filled the church and the school, when visiting our Mission last year. The letter states that the following week-end, Mr. Fraser and Petros Mzamo, our African divinity student, travelled to one of our mission stations, Donsa Dam, where there is a school. They went there to hold Communion Services on Sabbath the 13th January. This place, as will be seen from the deputies report, entails a journey of 60 miles from Mbuma, Mr. Fraser’s headquarters, by a long route, which is necessary to take on occasions. Mr. Fraser and Petros, on this outing, had to take this long route by Zenka and a place called Nkai, to pick up the elder, Philemon Ndebele at Zenka, and Alex. Mpofu, elder, at Nkai which is 16 miles from Zenka; then on to Donsa Dam. This journey, as we know, leads through forest, over tracks and streams, and a wide part of the Shangani river, where there is a new bridge. Mr. Fraser also writes, “We had a time of happy fellowship in the classroom where we lived and slept for the week-end. The services, too, were not without life and warmth. One new member, a woman, was accepted.”
On Saturday of the Communion, Mr. Fraser says, the headman of the district, who is quite an important person among the natives, presented the company, including Mr. Fraser, the student and the elders, with a live goat! What they did with the goat, Mr. Fraser does not explain in his letter. When the Synod deputies visited Donsa Dam last year to preach in the school there, we remember, that there was a little oversight about intimating to the people the exact time we were to arrive and hold a service. Mr. Fraser reminds us now that on that occasion the headman intended giving the deputies a sheep. But, we recall, that unfortunately he did not manage to do so because of the time of the service held by the deputies. He has fulfilled his intention now in the gift of a goat to those resident on the Mission Field. In recalling our visit last Spring to this Station, we remember the day was hot, and we sat under the shade of a tree near the school to partake of some food before the service, as we had to wait a good while before the people gathered, after the school children were sent home to tell their parents that we had arrived. Mr. James Tallach drove us on that trip almost a year ago, and Alex. Mpofu, elder was with us as interpreter. We remember that here also, several native women had their babies with them during the service, which was never an occasion of the least annoyance to the preacher; but which always seemed quite natural to the African setting and the services of the sanctuary, whether in church or Kraal school. In his letter, Mr. Fraser further mentions that as a result of heavy rain the Lupani Valley, which runs between Zenka and Mbuma, was very soft and muddy, and he and Petros Mzamo were stuck for several hours on their way to and from Donsa Dam. The Synod deputies had a similar experience on one occasion on this same route when travelling by lorry. At the conclusion of his letter, Mr. Fraser, says that Mrs. Nicolson, Ingwenya, who has been unwell recently, has been keeping rather better of late.—EDITOR.
Protests from the Northern Presbytery.
To The Prime Minister,
Rt. Hon. Harold MacMillan, M.P.,
10 Downing Street,
London,
Sir,
Free Presbyterian Manse,
11 Auldcastle Road,
Inverness, Scotland,
4th February, 1957.