By Rev. Alex Morrison
The Clerk of the Foreign Mission Committee, Rev. Donald MacLean, Glasgow, and myself left Abbotsinch Airport for Amsterdam on the afternoon of Monday the 29th of April to attend a Meeting arranged by the Mbuma Mission Committee to be held next day. During our short visit we stayed with Mr. Van Waveren at Rijswijk (ZH). Mr. Van Waveren frequently visits Scotland and is well known to many of our people.
On Tuesday morning we were taken from our friend’s home to Rotterdam by car. When we arrived at the hall hired for the day we were warmly welcomed by members of the Committee, and others. It was a most impressive sight to see over seven thousand people assembled, and to think that they were come together to support the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in its efforts to spread the Word of God in Rhodesia.
“This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.” Ps. 118:23.
The Chairman, Rev. Mallan, opened the Meeting with Praise, Prayer, the reading of John’s Gospel, Chapter 17, and a short address from the words in verse 20: “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.” In all seven addresses were given by various ministers including one by Rev. D. MacLean which will appear in the Magazine. D.V. Mr. MacLean’s address was translated by Mr. Scholten and read to the people. In spite of the language barrier the stillness and attention of the audience gladdened our hearts. Often we felt sorry for our English speaking brethren at Communions having to sit during a Gaelic service but, in the atmosphere which characterised the meeting in Rotterdam, we did not find it tedious to sit for hours. We hope the Spirit of the Lord was in our midst.
In the past our Dutch friends have showed great interest in our Mission in Rhodesia. On this occasion they proved by their liberality that their interest in the Mission is increasing. The collection at this meeting amounted to over £21,000. It becomes us as a Church in Scotland and in Africa to seek grace to give thanks to the Lord who gives our friends in Holland a mind to give of their substance for the furtherance of His Cause. Their generosity is an encouragement to us and particularly to those who labour in the Gospel in Rhodesia. “But to do good and to communicate forget not: For with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Heb. 13:16.
Address to the Queen of the Netherlands
Royal Address to the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty. 30th April 1974. The Dutch Mbuma Mission Society, which supports the spiritual and medical work in Rhodesia carried on by the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, together with thousands of visitors and deputies from Scotland met on your birthday in the “Ahoy” Halls at Rotterdam, tender their most sincere loyalty to Your Majesty’s Person and Your Royal House. They wish Your Majesty’s Person the only comfort in life and death, as mentioned in the first question and answer of our Heidelberg Catechism. In this dreadful time may the Lord grant that Your Majesty may find the Sovereign God of Your Majesty’s glorious ancestors and find a refuge in Him for the present time and the future.
Rev. F. Mallan, Moderator.
N. Post, Secretary.
J. Preyers, Treasurer.
Letter sent to Queen of Netherlands
(The following letter was sent by the Committee of the Dutch Mbuma Mission Society to the Queen of the Netherlands and refers to the telegram sent by the Committee to the Queen on her birthday).
The Committee of the Dutch Mbuma Mission Society explain that the comfort mentioned in the Question and Answer One of the Heidelberg Catechism can only be received by grace from the Lord God, the Most Holy One, by true repentance.
But now we find in our dynasty and in our nation a turning away from God.
We commemorate your birthday under sad circumstances, for we find in our dynasty and in our nation a continuing hardness and a return to heathenism.
In earlier times Your Majesty’s glorious ancestors were in covenant with the Lord of Lords. They stood firm for the Reformed Religion. Now atheists are in power, showing a disregard for the dreadful and holy Name of God in the speech from the Throne. There are terrible and continuing insults of the blessed God, the Fountain, who has given many blessings to Your House and to our nation, although we are unworthy.
God lived in our country, but now there is an unprecedented misjudgment of God by the government medium of publicity. Our people are becoming poisoned by blasphemy and sins almost worse than the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. These towns were destroyed by fire out of heaven. The same God will spue out the inhabitants of our country on account of her iniquities if they persist in them. The blood-guiltiness calls also for vengeance from the Lord of the Sabbath. These blood-guiltinesses are now increasing by wholesale murdering of unborn children (abortion). We do not find these murders in such a measure among the heathen.
May the Lord grant Your Majesty and Your House to seek and to find
The Heidelberg Catechism, Q.1. What is thy only comfort in life and death? Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ, who with His precious blood hath full satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me, that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation. And, therefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto Him.)
in penitence the God of our Fathers to whom is given all power in heaven and in earth and Who liveth for ever and ever.
(sgd.) Rev. G.v.d. Breevaart, Chairman; N. Post, Secretary; Y. Preyers, Treasurer; Rev. S.de Young; Rev. F. Mallan; Rev. Y. van Prosijen; Rev. C. Smits; S. Nieuwenhuis; G. M. P. Scholten.