3rd February 1972.
Dear Friends,
Since I last wrote I have moved to Winnipeg, having had a very pleasant time with the Fraser family in Toronto. During my time there I had the pleasure of being in contact with, and of meeting, many friends from different parts of Scotland; from Lewis, Inverness, Wick, Glasgow and Ullapool. The association with “the home-country” gave us something of mutual interest as we talked of places and people. I think of a “better country, even an heavenly”, and how good it would be to have an interest in that country, in its King and people. Other associations and interests must come to an end, but the soul’s union to Christ, the Christian’s Great Interest, will never be severed. I would like here to express my appreciation of the kindness shown to me by the friends in Toronto. I had intended to come to Winnipeg by air, but a strike of “air traffic” controllers grounded all services in Canada, apart from emergency flights. Man’s fallen nature, and the power of the Unions, is obviously worldwide! I travelled from Toronto on the Canadian Pacific Railway. The train, called the “Canadian”, crosses Canada from Montreal to Vancouver; the whole journey taking almost three days. At Toronto, Mrs Fraser, Sherwood Avenue, and Hugh, her grandson, came to see me away on the train, and in Winnipeg Mr Gillies and Mr Kitchen met me. These two gentlemen kindly took me to my room where I am very well provided for. The weather here at present is somewhat cold, the temperature dropping frequently to $-15^{\circ}$ F, which is equivalent to 47 degrees of frost. However, the houses and the church are adequately heated. One is compelled to think of what the “settlers” must have endured here in mid-winter without the modern comforts. They laid the foundation of what is now of such value and so useful to us. So it was in the matters of the Gospel. Other men have laboured and have left to us the fruit of their labours. What suffering and hardship was endured during the time of the Reformation, as well as before and since, that we, in the divine providence, might have the Gospel of Christ in its purity. Today I visited the “Museum of Man and Nature”, which depicts much of what the “settlers” experienced, and in this way their work is remembered and appreciation of it is shown. How we ought to remember and to value the work of Christ who laid down His life a ransom for many, and the work of those who, through His grace, contended for the faith once delivered to the saints. This we can do only by loving Jesus Christ and by living for Him. We do not truly value Christ’s work nor the work of His servants, past or present, if we do not love Him as the Saviour.
The deputies, who through their visits to Winnipeg, became acquainted with the people, will be sorry to hear of the death of Mrs MacIver, Garfield Street. She passed away some days before I arrived. I believe I speak for us all when expressing sympathy to Mr MacIver and his family.
In closing this letter I would ask you all to pray that the Holy Spirit will be poured upon us. He can give the word, and can confirm it with signs following.
Kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
Malcolm MacInnes.
Address: Room 310, Mall Hotel, 469 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg 2, Manitoba, Canada.
The Spirit of Jesus will witness of nothing, and glorify nothing, but the Saviour’s all-sufficient grace; and therefore He sets Himself against all our greatness and goodness—that He who glorieth may glory only in the Lord Jesus. Romaine.