BY REV. JOHN P. MACQUEEN.
It is scarcely necessary to emphasise to readers of our magazine that the king of books is the Bible, the Word of God, which is settled fast in Heaven, and lives and abides for ever. It claims, accordingly, supreme priority as the standard of Christian faith in every age and clime, the most Scripturally-framed Confession of Faith, humanly systematized, being thus only subordinate. Nevertheless, the Westminster Confession of Faith, being our subordinate standard of faith, should have the second place, next to the Bible, in every home, worthy of the name. It was framed by men as eminent for piety as they were distinguished for learning and scholarship, with the view of counteracting and exposing, in the light of the Bible, the prevailing heresis and errors of that day, which labelled themselves “Christianity” and masqueraded as such. They succeeded so well that after over four hundred years no other subordinate standard has superseded this blessed work, while the Assembly of divines who composed it, are rightly regarded as the most eminently godly and distinguished since the time of the Apostles.
As the recently-published “Confession of Faith,” by our Church’s Publications Committee, is a complete issue, including the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, The Sum of Saving Knowledge, The Solemn League and Covenant, etc., and is an excellent edition, modestly priced at 8/6 per copy, postage 1/- extra, and to be had from Mr. John Grant, Palmerston Villa, 4 Millburn Road, Inverness, it should be
in every home. Next to the Bible, I know of no better gift that parents could give to their sons and daughters on leaving or already away from home, or for uncles and aunts to give to their nephews and nieces, if they are at all interested in their spiritual and moral welfare, which involves also their true temporal and eternal welfare. “Seek ye first, the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all other things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew vi, 33).
As well as the Bible and the Westminster Confession of Faith, I would commend our own two church magazines, the “Free Presbyterian Magazine,” and the “Young People’s Magazine.” Personally, I do not consider him, or her, or them, one hundred per cent loyal to our denominational distinctive Scriptural testimony who are not regular subscribers of both magazines. As for those who object that as they have no children of their own they do not subscribe to our “Young People’s Magazine,” may I be permitted to ask such how they can be professing christians and not be prayerfully interested in other people’s children. “Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not.” Let such prayerfully peruse, and meditate upon the first eight verses of psalm seventy-eight, and then peruse the rest of the psalm as showing the result of disobedience.
The present writer considers it a disgrace that there should be found among our church members and others, who never read our magazine from one end of the year to another, except on those rare occasions when they hear outsiders discussing something that appeared in the “Free Presbyterian Magazine.” On such occasions they borrow the copy for perusal from some regular subscriber, though they otherwise could well afford to subscribe themselves. It would amaze some in our church to discover how numerous such indifferent, apathetic, half-hearted Free Presbyterians are, if indeed they are worthy of that honoured name. As for those who might be considered too poor to subscribe, there is a free distribution fund, though it would take a great deal to convince me that, in these days of the Welfare State, there are any such destitute people to be found at all. In any case, there is free distribution for such.
The present writer’s personal opinion is that this indifference, relative to our magazines, is in no small measure due to reluctance on the part of some ministers, missionaries, and office-bearers, where these sad conditions prevail, to urge upon the people that it is in their own highest and most spiritual interests, and intelligent regard for our church, to be true regular subscribers. Otherwise, how can it be explained that, despite the fact that so many in the London congregation come and go for varying periods, there has never been in this congregation, all the years I have been here, one single individual, who has not been a regular subscriber. Why should there be any reluctance or fastidiousness on the part of any minister, missionary, or office-bearer in this connection, when the appeal is a purely altruistic and disinterested one? Surely the mental, moral, and spiritual welfare
of our people is, to say the least, as important as their physical welfare. The precious immortal soul needs moral and spiritual fare, in order to its growth in grace, as the body needs physical food in order to grow and develop to manhood and womanhood. Sermons, articles, and up-to-date comments on current affairs, in the national and international religious spheres, are calculated to keep the readers of our magazines well informed, and, by the blessing of the Holy Spirit, to produce and aid growth in grace, and in experimental spiritual knowledge.
Parents, uncles, and aunts, as already stated regarding gifts of the Westminster Confession of Faith, should follow the excellent example of those people in our church who, when annually subscribing for their own copies, subscribe also for their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces, not only away from home in their native land, but also overseas, thus keeping up the best family and relative link conceivable, as well as being, by the Divine countenance, fruitful in blessing, even to generations yet unborn. It would also help to prevent young and inexperienced people making matrimonial alliances for which they sell their noblest birth-right, next after being members of Christ’s mystical body—namely, members of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, a birth-right and privilege not worth selling for the best husband or wife this world has to offer, or for any other object whatsoever. Let it ever be powerfully and ardently emphasised that God never asked any man or woman to leave as pure and as Scriptural a branch of the visible Church as is to-day to be found in the world, for a less pure and less Scriptural one. We do not thus affirm that the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland is perfect, but we do affirm that it is sincere. Its doctrines are perfect and infallible, as they are Scriptural, but the custodian of these blessed doctrines—the pillar and ground of the truth—our denomination, is composed of sincere but fallible and imperfect human beings. The doctrine of human perfectionism in time is opposed to Scripture truth, for when the Lord’s people are perfect they shall not be here. Thus no denomination, however pure and Scriptural, is perfect, however sincere and earnest, but partakes of the sinful failures and infirmities incidental to human nature even when supernaturally regenerated, while ripening, as regards the individual believer, to perfection. “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. iii, 12-14).
It is nevertheless the clear and manifest duty, and for the highest spiritual interest and welfare, of every regenerated man and woman, as well as its being for the glory of God, to break through all sentimental and emotional family and relative ties, to ascertain and find the purest and most Scriptural branch of the visible church, contemporary with that regenerated individual, on the principle that:—”Them that honour Me, I will honour.”
The late Mrs. Mary MacLean, Breakish, Skye.
not able to go out to the services, she greatly rejoiced in thus meeting the Lord’s servants and people. “Thy people shall be my people and thy God my God” (Ruth I. 16) was the language of her heart.
‘n uair a dh’fhairich e air a leagail air leis an Tighearna a bhi gleid-headh a chridhe, agus a bhi beo chùm glòir Chriosd, ‘n uair a dh’fhair-ich e luachmhorachd tìm agus a bha e ‘g iarruidh co-chomunn gach là ri Slàuighear nach robh ri fhaicinn; ach thàinig am buaireadair, agus thàinig an saoghal, agus thàinig ana-miannaibh nithean eile, agus bha e ni b’aineamh ‘n a chlòsaid, thuair e ni bu lugha agus ni bu lugha de thìm air son an Fhocail agus beachd-smuainteachadh;— agus an sin thàinig caochladh duilich thairis air an duine an leth a stigh; cha robh Criosd ni b’ fhaide ‘n a Chriosd a bha làthair agus a bha luachmhor, ach na chuspair fad as; thàinig an urnuigh, “Tog orm solus do ghnùis” gu àite a thoirt do’n ghlaodh dhuilich, “Co nochdas dhuinn ni maith air bith?” Ach dhùisg an Tighearna e, le Focal, an fhaide so, gu’m bheil e nis ‘n a dhuine mi-thoilichte agus truagh, ag ràdh, “O nach robh e dhòmhsa mar anns an miosan a dh’ fhalbh.” A charaid, ma tha na làithean sin gu bràth gu pilleadh, ma tha thu gu fios a bhi agad nach robh thu ‘n uair sin ga d’ mheal-ladh fein, feumaidh am pilleadh sin a bhi air a thoirt mu’n cuairt ann an co-cheangal ri thu bhi ga d’ chleachdadh fein mar a bha Daibhidh ‘n uair a thubhairt e, “Dean tròcair orm a Dhé, a reir do choibhneas-gràidh; a reir lionmhorachd do chaomh-throcairean, dubh as m’eusaontas.” “Na tilg mi o d’ shealladh, agus na toir do Spiorad Naomh uam.” Bi air chrith roimh’n smuaint a dhòl a dh’ionnsuidh Bòrd an Tighearna am feadh a tha peacadh a cur dealachadh eadar thù agus Dia. Ach na toir cadal do d’ shuilibh, na suain do d’ rosgaibh gus am bi sin a rìnn an dealachadh air a thoirt air falbh. Is urrain fuil Chriosd a ghlanaadh air falbh. Is urrain Spiorad Chriosd do chridhe a dheanamh brùite.
Mo cho-pheacach, na seas an aghaidh Spiorad maith an Tighearn. Tha E strì riut, do-bhrigh nach eil tlachd air bith aig ‘n a d’ bhàs, do-bhrigh gu’m bheil Slànuighear luachmhor ann ris an aonadh E thù, agus bu mhaith Leis aithne a thoirt dhuit air a ghràs agus a ghràdh. Tha E strì riut do-bhrigh gu’m bheil E toileach a dhòl a stigh do d’ chridhe, gus a ghlanaadh, gu còmhnuidh a ghabhail ann mar an Comhfhurtair. O, na cuir ‘n a aghaidh; oir cha bhi E ghnàth a strì. Faodaidh E do thilgeadh air falbh gu bràth, agus t-fhàgail, mar a dh’ fhàgadh muinntir eile, gu bhi uile gu leir air an cruadhachadh le mealltaireachd a pheacaidh, gu bhi gluasad mi-chùramach a dh’ionnsuidh na crìche a reir gnàth an t-saoghail so, na dùsgadh suas mu dheireadh gu bhi faotainn a mach gu’m bheil e tuilleadh ‘s anmoch, agus gu’m bheil an dorus dùinte. Na cruadhaichibh bhur cridhe. Na ma chanas tì gu’m bheil e tuilleadh ‘us làidir air do shon (bu mhaith gu’m fairicheadh tu so gu ceart, gu’m fairicheadh tu t-fheum air neart uile-chumhachdach an Spioraid Naoimh) an sin bhitheadh aithne agad mar a tha Criosd saor, gu’m bheil Spiorad Chriosd saor mar an ceudna. Tha E toileach a bhi dhuit ‘n a Fhear-athnuadhachaidh agus ‘n Fhear-naomhachaidh, a chùm do shaoradh bho’n a chridhe chloiche. “Cia fhad, a dhaoine baoghalta a ghràdhaicheas sibh baoghaltachd? agus a ghabhas luch-fochaid tlachd ‘n am fochaid, agus a bheir amadain fuath do eolas? Pillibh ri’m achmhasan: feuch dòirtidh mi mach mo spiorad dhuibh; ni mi aith-nichte mo bhriathra dhuibh.” Amhaircibh suas ri Dia, uime sin, troimh’n Eadar-mheadhonair, agus deanamh ùrnuigh, ùrnuigh air son an Spioraid Naoimh; oir tha e a reir a thoil a Spiorad a thoirt seachad.