When I ended my last report I had reached Winnipeg. I remained in Winnipeg for the months of July and August, and also for the first Sabbath of September, when the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was observed in the congregation. A small company gathered around the Lord’s Table on the Sabbath morning to keep in remembrance the dying love of the Lord Jesus. The Lord was graciously pleased to give needed strength for all the duties in connection with the communion season.
On the Wednesday evening before the communion Mr Thos. Macdonald, Eston, who is an elder in the Winnipeg congregation along with Mr Allan Macleod, arrived by air from Saskatoon. It was indeed a privilege to meet this aged (he is 94) follower of the Lord Jesus. Though now getting frail in body and requiring the use of crutches he is a bright witness on the Lord’s side and is of a very lively disposition. He tells with evident joy of his experience, in the early years of this century, under the preaching of the late Rev. Neil Cameron, in St. Jude’s, Glasgow, when he obtained the liberty of the gospel. In Mr Macdonald that word in Nehemiah’s prophecy find fulfilment — “the joy of the Lord is your strength”. It was very pleasant to have his company and fellowship over the communion season.
After the communion I left with Mr Thos. Macdonald by air for Saskatoon where his daughter met us and drove us 120 miles to Eston. At Eston I stayed the night with Mr Macdonald’s son and his wife who entertained me very kindly in their comfortable home on the farm which Mr Macdonald himself formerly worked. The next day I regretfully parted with Mr Macdonald and his family at Eston and went on by bus to Calgary, about 200 miles distant, where I was to spend the weekend. Here I stayed in the very hospitable home of the Misses Beaton. They kindly received me when I arrived and had booked a very suitable hall nearby for the services on the Sabbath. The services were well attended considering that no regular services are held in the city. A number of Dutch friends attended.
The following Monday I left Calgary and set off by train for Vancouver, where I was to assist at the communion that week. The scenery on the 650 mile journey was very impressive. About 60 miles west of Calgary we began to climb into the mountains and, as range of mountain succeeds range as you go westward, we were in the midst of mountainous scenery almost all the way to Vancouver. The following day I had a good view of the noted Frazer River Canyon as the train travelled along a ledge cut out of its precipitous sides.
I reached Vancouver, and the utmost westward limit of my journey as the Church’s Deputy, on Tuesday, 10th September, at 3 p.m. I was glad to meet my relations again and also the many friends whom it was my privilege to meet during the 16 days I was in the city. Some of them I had met before in the home country, while others I met for the first time. It was a pleasant experience to meet with some there who are the salt of the earth. I was glad to meet the elders of the congregation, Mr Alex. Macleod (a brother of the late Rev. James Macleod) and Mr Farquhar Matheson, and others who have the true interests of Christ’s Cause at heart.
The communion services began on the Thursday and the Lord granted a measure of His favour during the days of the communion. On the Sabbath it was pleasant to see a goodly number, including one new member, sit at the Lord’s Table and commemorate that death which was accomplished outside the gates of Jerusalem when Christ suffered on the accursed tree of Calvary. What fruit there has been, and what fruit there will yet be, to the glory of God’s grace from that one atoning sacrifice on Calvary, in the renewed lives of multitudes of this fallen race of ours.
In Canada the distances are so great (Winnipeg to Vancouver is 1,500 miles) that few can attend the communion seasons from outside the congregation. However, Mrs Fraser, with whom I stayed in Winnipeg, flew out to Vancouver to be there over the communion. Also, Mr John Maclean from San Francisco, who is a member in the Vancouver congregation, flew north on the Wednesday before the communion began and stayed for a fortnight in Vancouver. I had met Mr Maclean when he visited Scotland two or three years ago and I was glad to meet him and have his company again.
I was prevailed on to stay an extra week in Vancouver, which gave me an opportunity of visiting more of the people than would otherwise have been possible. All the friends in Vancouver showed me much kindness. Mrs MacKay, widow of the late Mr Hugh MacKay, Elder, very kindly gave me sleeping accommodation in her home. During the day I was at my uncle’s (Mr Alastair Beaton) next door to Mrs MacKay’s. My uncle took time off to show me some of the surrounding country, which I greatly appreciated. The situation of the city itself is striking, lying in the shadow of the high mountains to the north and between inlets of the sea and the Frazer river, while the surrounding country is full of attractive scenery. When the time came to leave Vancouver it was with regret that I parted with the many friends in that city.
Dr Macdonald, who showed me no end of kindness while in Vancouver, decided to travel with me as far as Calgary and Edmonton. It was very pleasant to have his company for another week. We travelled by train to Calgary where we were met by the Misses Beaton. They again showed me much kindness. On the Sabbath, Dr Macdonald and I shared the services in the same hall as I had preached in on my journey westwards. The services were again well attended. On the Tuesday we left for Edmonton, situated 200 miles north of Calgary. On our way we passed Innisfail, a place known to many of the early deputies of the Church. It was there that the late Mr Angus MacKay, an elder of our Church in Rogart, settled with his family when he emigrated to Canada about sixty years ago.
At Edmonton we spent two nights with W/O and Mrs R. F. Hardy. Mrs Hardy is a daughter of Mr Alex. Macleod, Elder, Vancouver. I was glad to meet them and their family of four boys, and also the other friends whom I had the opportunity of visiting while at Edmonton. On Thursday, 3rd October, the time came to part from Dr Macdonald, he to return to Calgary for the weekend before going home while I entrained for Winnipeg, which I reached safely the next morning at 9 a.m.
Since I had left Winnipeg four weeks before I had travelled over 3,000 miles. How graciously the Lord dealt with me in carrying me in safety all the way and also in bestowing innumerable blessings on me. May the Lord abundantly bless the Word preached during those weeks to the good of never-dying souls. May the Lord’s Zion in Canada be built up more and more through the ingathering of a seed to do Christ service. The promise of the Lord to His servants labouring amidst much discouragement and weakness is: “My Word shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”