Communions
January—Fourth Sabbath, Inverness. February—First Sabbath, Dingwall; third, Stornoway; fourth, North Uist, Kyle of Lochalsh. March—First Sabbath, Ullapool; second, Ness, Portree and Tarbert; third, Finsbay and Lochinver; fourth, Kinlochbervie; fifth, North Tolsta. April—First Sabbath, Breasclete, Portnalong and Fort-William; second, London; third, Greenock; fourth, Glasgow, Wick. May—First Sabbath, Kames and Oban; second, Scourie; third, Edinburgh and Broadford. June—First Sabbath, Applecross; second, Shieldaig; third, Lochcarron, Glendale, Helmsdale, Dornoch and Uig; fourth, Gairloch; fifth, 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; second, Portree and Stratherrick; third, Bonar, Finsbay and Laide; fourth, Vatten, Stornoway, Thurso. September—First Sabbath, Ullapool, Breasclete; second, Strathy; third, Tarbert, Stoer and Vancouver (Canada); fourth, Applecross. October—First Sabbath, Tolsta, Lochcarron, Fort-William; second, Gairloch and Ness; fourth, Greenock, Lochinver and Wick. November—First Sabbath, Oban and Raasay; second, Glasgow and Halkirk; third, Edinburgh, Dornoch, Staffin and Uig. December—First Sabbath, London.
The Late Rev. D. R. MacDonald, Shieldaig.
Again we have heard of another minister of the Church being removed from among us by death. The Rev. D. R. MacDonald, minister of our Shieldaig congregation, Ross-shire, passed away at Shieldaig, on Thursday, the 7th March, and was buried in Lochcarron on Saturday, the 9th March, 1963. About ten days before Mr MacDonald died we had a brief letter from him in which he stated that he suffered practically constant pain, which arose from heart trouble. It has been known that his health was very poor for some years now, and that he was able only for the minimum of pastoral duties including services in the Church which he endeavoured to perform until near the end of his journey. Mr MacDonald had not been able to attend the Courts of the Church for some years and he was missed at our annual meetings of Synod. But now, we believe, he has gone to the Court of heaven to serve the Lord there and in that holy service, to rest from the trials, afflictions and burdens which he experienced in a body of sin and death here. Mr MacDonald was another of the company of young men who after the 1914-18 War, were directed by the Lord to be labourers in His harvest. He was first of all ordained and inducted to be minister of the Church’s Congregation of North and South Harris, well-nigh forty years ago. (Exact dates will be given in a future obituary). Later he was called to Shieldaig congregation, Ross-shire, and served the Lord there in the gospel for many years until his death. The Most High is sorely depleting the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland of ministers in taking away one after another of His servants in the gospel of Christ from time to eternity. We express our sincere sympathy to Mrs MacDonald, the widow, and to other relations, and also to the Shieldaig Congregation, in their sorrow.
Rev. William MacLean, New Zealand
In a letter received at the end of February, Rev. W. MacLean reported that he was very well in health and had held the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in the Grafton Congregation, Australia, on the Sabbath of 17th February. The remnant of the Lord’s people there, he believed, enjoyed a time of spiritual refreshment. On the 20th February he held a prayer meeting there and also administered the sacrament of baptism. He intended having a service at Sydney, and then travelling by air over the Tasman sea to New Zealand on the 27th February, the journey of 1,333 miles to take only three and a half hours instead of about four days by sea. He will now, if well, be settled in his new congregation at Gisborne, New Zealand. We will, (D.V.) be glad to publish in the magazine from
time to time news of his ministerial activities which will be of interest to his many friends here in the homeland. May he be richly favoured by the Lord.