Communions.
January—Fifth Sabbath, Inverness. February—First Sabbath, Dingwall, third, Stornoway; fourth, North Uist. March—First Sabbath, Ullapool; second, Ness and Portree; third, Finsbay; fourth, Kinlochbervie, North Tolsta. April—First Sabbath, Stoer, Achmore, Portnalong and Fort William; third, Greenock and London; fourth, Glasgow and Wick. May—First Sabbath, Kames and Oban; second, Scourie; third, Edinburgh and Broadford. June—First Sabbath, Tarbert, Applecross, Coigach; second, Shieldaig; third, Lochcarron, Glendale, Helmsdale, Dornoch and Uig; fourth, Gairloch and Inverness. 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 and Vancouver (Canada); second, Portree and Stratherrick; third, Bonar, Finsbay and Laide; fourth, Vatten, Thurso and Stornoway.
September—First Sabbath, Ullapool and Breasclete; second, Strathy; third, Tarbert and Stoer; fourth, Applecross. October—First Sabbath, Tolsta and Lochcarron; second, Gairloch and Ness; fourth, Greenock, Lochinver; fifth, 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 Communion dates for year 1960, should be sent AT ONCE to the Editor, that the above List may be corrected. This will save inconvenience later on.—Editor.
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, 17th April, 1960, the following services have been arranged (D.V.) to be conducted by the Rev. J. A. MacDonald, Raasay, and the Rev. Donald MacLean, C.A., Portree:—Thursday, 14th April, 7 p.m.; Friday, 15th April, 3.30 p.m. (Gaelic), and 7 p.m. (Fellowship Meeting); Saturday, 16th April, 3.30 p.m., and 6.30 p.m. (Prayer Meeting); Sabbath, 17th April, 11 a.m., and 3.30 p.m. (Gaelic), (with an English service, simultaneously, in Bridewell Hall, London City Mission, Eccleston Place), and 7 p.m., Monday 18th April, 3.30 p.m. (Gaelic) and 7 p.m. For the benefit of those residing in outlying country districts we may state that all the week-day services will (D.V.) 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. The weekly prayer-meeting is held every Wednesday at 7 p.m., in the Bridewell Hall, London City Mission, Eccleston Place.
Induction of Rev. D. J. Matheson at Daviot.
On the afternoon of Wednesday, 13th January 1960 Rev. D. J. Matheson was inducted to the pastoral charge of Tomatin-Daviot-Stratherrick. The 3 districts forming this joint congregation were united into a sanctioned charge by decision of Synod in 1944, and our people there have anxiously and prayerfully sought such a settlement as has now in the Lord’s kind providence been made.
The church at Daviot was filled for the occasion by a congregation of about 200 drawn from various parts of the church in spite of the lowering and wintry weather. Rev. Wm. Grant, Moderator of the Northern Presbytery, presided and opened the meeting with prayer. Rev. D. M. MacLeod, Lairg then preached an appropriate sermon on the words in Philippians, chapter 2, verses 14-16: “Do all things without murmurings and disputings etc.” In the course of his remarks Mr. MacLeod alluded chiefly to the People addressed by the Apostle who included the saints in Christ Jesus and the office-bearers, the Bishops or elders and Deacons at Philippi, a church which the Apostle
had founded and therefore regarded with peculiar affection; the Exhortation itself, bearing on the conduct becoming saints, the dignity of the sons of God, and the fruits which should accompany the Word of Life; finally, the Motive, the Apostle’s joy in them and in turn the proof he sought among them that his ministry was not in vain.
The clerk then gave a narrative of the steps taken in preparing the call and the Moderator solemnly inducted Mr. Matheson with special prayer and the members of Court welcomed him among them by giving the right hand of fellowship. The newly-inducted minister was then addressed by Rev. R. R. Sinclair, Wick who took occasion to notice the changes which such a settlement inevitably brings into a pastor’s life, as contrasted with the unchanging nature of the gospel message which he brings. The congregation was then briefly and in suitable terms addressed by the clerk on their duties as a congregation towards their minister.
Mr. Matheson returns to the Northern Presbytery where he began his work as a minister, after a period of over 13 years in the South, spent as minister of the Free Presbyterian congregation of St. Jude’s, Glasgow, and his numerous friends in the North as well as his brethren in the Northern Presbytery welcome him among them. May, Mr. Matheson’s labours in this part of the Lord’s vineyard be richly blessed by the Great Head of the Church, and may he receive many seals of his ministry.—A. F. MacKay, Clerk.