Extract From Samuel Rutherford
Neither all the devils in Hell, nor all the temptations of the world, can hurt that man that is kept humble and depending on Christ.
If good men are sad, it is not because they are good, but because they are not better.
All God’s children have received God’s Spirit, whereby they are made humble, believing, and holy; humble in regard of their sins, believing in regard of Christ, and holy in regard of their conscience and care to keep all God’s commandments.
When Paul was a Pharisee, he thought he was blameless; when he was a Christian, the chief of sinners: before, anything but Christ; now, none but Christ. Possibly a Christian’s enemies may spoil him of his common mercies; but they shall never rob him of his covenant mercies. A Christian shall be here as long as he hath any work to do for Christ, or as long as Christ hath any work to accomplish in him: Christ will fit him for Himself, and then take him to Himself.
God over-reaches the devil, and makes him instrumental for good, when he designs hurt and mischief.
If there had not been such a thing as the grace of Jesus I should have long since given up Heaven, with the expectation to see God. But grace, grace, free grace, the merits of Christ for nothing, white and fair, and large Saviour mercy, have been, and must be the rock that we drowned souls must swim to.—Rutherford.
The Robe and The Blanket
An Indian and a white man were both struck under conviction by the same sermon. The Indian was shortly after brought to rejoice in pardoning mercy. The white man was for a long time under distress of mind, and at times almost ready to despair; but at length he was also brought to a comfortable experience of forgiving love. Some time afterwards meeting his red brother, he thus addressed him: “How is it that I should be so long under conviction, when you found comfort so soon?” “O brother,” replied the Indian, “me tell you. There come along a rich prince; he promised to give you a new coat, you look at your coat and say, ‘I don’t know, my coat pretty good, I believe it will do a little longer.’ He then give me a new coat. I look on my old blanket; I say ‘this good for nothing. I fling it right away and take my new coat. Just so, brother, you try to make your old righteousness do for some time, you loth to give it up; but I glad to receive at once the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.'”—Extracted.
Bird of Providence
“In February, 1788, soon after the first colonisation of Eastern Australia, an outpost was established on Norfolk Island,” said Mr A. J. Marshal, D.Phil., D.Sc., speaking in a BBC programme.
“Early in 1790, the officers and men suffered famine after their supply ship was wrecked. Then, just when things looked worst, the Pacific air rained flesh in the form of a then unknown shear-water or mutton-bird.
“These long-winged petrels came from the sea a little after sunset ‘like a shower of hail.’
“They borrowed in thousands into the island until it became ‘as full of holes as any rabbit warren.’ The starving settlers feasted on the birds and salted hundreds of carcasses. They called this tube-nosed Shearwater ‘The Bird of Providence’ and it is still so-called in Australia to-day.”—Examiner 26/2/58.
SYNOD TRIBUTE
The Late Rev. D. R. MacDonald, Shieldaig
The Synod of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland convened at Inverness, this twenty-third day of May, 1963, would place on record its sense of loss at the death of Rev. D. R. MacDonald, for many years an honoured member of this court.
Mr Macdonald was a native of Shieldaig, Ross-shire, in which place he also departed this life on the 7th March, 1963, at the age of 75 years. Prior to the outbreak of World War I he lived in Canada for a number of years and it was with the armed forces of this country that he served during that great conflict. After the usual studies in Arts and Divinity he was ordained and inducted at Tarbert, Harris on the 20th March, 1927. In this congregation he was to spend the whole of his ministry apart from the last twelve years when he had returned to Shieldaig.
As a Minister of the Church Mr Macdonald showed much tactfulness as perplexing situations did from time to time arise and it was evident that he was much concerned at heart for the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom among poor sinners in the world. He was respected not only in his own congregation but throughout the communities in which he served as a man of God. His hospitality to strangers was unfeigned.
In both Harris and Shieldaig Mr Macdonald was in his day acquainted with many of the excellent of the earth, although in his closing years he was left to mourn the spiritual desolation of parts which had been at one time as the garden of the Lord. As a preacher he had an original style and possessing a fund of useful anecdotes, he could command the attention of his hearers, alike in Gaelic and English. His attendance on Church Courts was punctual and for a period he acted as Clerk to the Outer Isles Presbytery.
As a Synod and a Church we have much reason to mourn his removal from our midst but it is our conviction and consolation that the day of his death was better for our friend than the day of his birth as his eye was set upon the Crucified but now risen and exalted Saviour. To his sorrowing widow and congregation the Court would tender its heartfelt sympathy and pray that the Covenant God may be their help. “Mark thou the perfect, and behold the man of uprightness; because that surely of this man the latter end is peace.” Ps. 37: 37.