Football on the Lord’s Day
The following letter has been sent to all the clubs in the Scottish Football Association by the Southern Presbytery in an attempt to prevent our native land being defiled by the sin of Sabbath Football.
To the Club Secretary
12th December 1975
Dear Sir,
The Presbytery understand that an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Scottish Clubs is to be held to determine the question of Football being played on the Lord’s Day. It has been decided, therefore, to write to each Club appealing that such a step may not be taken.
The Presbytery are well aware of the extra work such a step would place on the police and other public services; of the serious disturbance to family life; of the peaceful hours of the Sabbath being violated by the noise of the crowds; and of the general complete reversal of the rest usually associated with the Scottish Sabbath.
While conscious of all these baneful effects, the Presbytery feels that it is its special duty to bring into view the claims of God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, our Lawgiver and our ultimate Judge. The fact that the command is to “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy” indicates that we are only too ready to forget the claims of God upon us and that He requires of us that this day should be consecrated to Him and to His worship. The playing of football on that Day cannot but bring God’s displeasure upon us as it is a clear breach of His command. The Scottish Football Association has recognised this in the past and it would be both sad and serious to change.
The Presbytery sincerely hope that your Club will vote to retain the Sabbath free from football.
With kind regards.
Yours sincerely,
(Rev.) Donald MacLean.
Clerk.
Presbytery Meetings (D.V.)
Skye: At Portree on 10th February at 11 a.m.
Southern: At Glasgow on 17th February at 6 p.m.
Western: At Ullapool on 9th March at 6 p.m.
Northern: At Dingwall on 24th February at 2.30 p.m.
Acknowledgment of Donations
The General Treasurer, Mr Wm D. Fraser, FCMA, 20 Daleview Avenue, Glasgow G12 0HE, acknowledges with sincere thanks the following donations:—
Sustentation Fund: Anon., £25.
Jewish and Foreign Mission Fund: Anon., Tomatin, £5; Portree Sabbath School, £80; E. MacL., Applecross, £5; Anon., per M. M. Gillies, Winnipeg, $600; Anon., Tomatin, £5; Anon., £100; Two Friends, Papatoetoe, £10; Anon., per M. M. Gillies, Winnipeg, $600, last four for Bulawayo Church Building.
China Mission Fund: Anon., Tomatin, £5.
Home Mission Fund: Anon., £25.
Aged & Infirm Ministers’ etc. Fund: Anon., £25; Anon., £100.
Organisation Fund: £25.
Home of Rest Fund: Mrs M. I. MacAulay, £50; Anon., £100; Resident, £5; Resident, £2 for petrol; Visitor, Ullapool, £1; Visitor, Anon, £1; Stratherrick Congregation, £43; Daviot Congregation, £35; Resident, £50.
The Treasurers of the following Congregations acknowledge with sincere thanks the following donations:—
Bracadale: Envelope in plate £70 from A. & C. MacL., Garrymore for Church Renovation; Envelope in plate, £10, from W.S. for Communion Expenses; Anon., Dalwhinnie, £5, per B. MacA.; A Friend, £5, per D. McA.; English Visitor, £10, for Portnalong Church Repair, per Miss C. MacA.; J. McA., Dalwhinnie, £10, In memory of my dear father, per Rev. D. J. MacD.; £139, from the family of the late Mr & Mrs MacKinnon, No. 16 Portnalong, for Portnalong Church Repair, per Rev. D. J. McD.; £150, from the estate of the late Kenneth MacAskill, Ose, Skye, and Ballifearry House, Inverness, for Bracadale Church Renovation, per Solicitors.
Dornoch: For Missionary’s Car Expenses, in Dornoch collection plate £10; Mrs Jessie A. Ross, in memory of her daughter Margaret Ann, for congregational expenses, £25.
Dumbarton: Mrs M. Henderson, in memory of her sister, Mary Livingstone, £100; Three Raasay Friends, per J.H., £15; Mr & Mrs Dowlan, £10; Perth friend, £10; Friend, £8; Friend, Bishopton, £5; Kyle Friend, £2; Glasgow Friend, £2, last six per T. MacRae; Mrs K. M. Harris, £5; Mrs J. M., £5, both per Mr Angus MacLeod, Stockinish.
Glendale: A Friend, £5; A Friend, £5; M. MacP., £5; Mrs E. H. Kirkham, Leeds, £10, all for Sustentation Fund; A Friend, £10; A sincere Friend, £7; A Friend, £5; Mrs E. Kirkham, Leeds, £6, all for Foreign Missions; A Friend, £5; Mrs E. Kirkham, Leeds, £4, both for Home Missions; A Friend, £5; A sincere Friend, £5, both for Blythswood Tract Society; Envelope in Plate, £5, for Congregational Funds; Envelope in Plate, £5 for Communion Expenses.
Greenock: Wellwisher, £5, per Rev. L. MacLeod; A Friend, £10, both for Congregational Purposes.
Kyle: Envelope in plate £2, for College Fund; Envelope in plate, £5, for Sustentation Fund for December; Kyle adherent, £10, for Manse Building Fund.
Lochcarron: Two wellwishers, £7; Mrs J.M., £6 for Building Fund; Miss D.N., £10, per K.M.R.; Two Friends, Kishorn, £5; Two Friends, Inverness, £2, for Building Fund; Anon, in memory of a London Friend, £3 for Sustentation Fund and £2 for Minister’s Car; Friend, £5 for Communion Expenses; Friend, £5 for Blythswood Tract Society, all per Rev. J.W.R.; Mrs M. M. Ballifearry House, £2 per K.M.R.; In Church plate, £1.20, for Building Fund; Of Thine own have we given Thee, £10, Dr Tallach’s Mission, Taiwan, per Rev. J.W.R.; Miss D.N., £5, for Home Mission Fund, per K.M.R.; Friend, £5, for Church Roof Repairs; In memory of a loved one, £3, for Sustentation Fund, £2 for Minister’s Car; Friend, £3, for Communion Expenses; Friend, £5, for Communion Expenses, last five per Rev. J.W.R.; Ardneaskan Church Plate, £5, for Blythswood Tract Society, £5, for Minister’s Car, £5, for Building Fund, £5, for Bulawayo Church.
Lochinver: Mrs C., Inchnadampth, £6, for Sustentation Fund.
North Harris: Friend, Tarbert, £5, for Manse and Church property; Friend, Tarbert, £2, for Minister’s Car Expenses; Friend, Harris House, £5 (£3 for Minister’s Car Expenses and £2 for Manse and Church property), last two per Rev. A. MacKay.
North Tolsta: Anon., Tolsta, £2, for Minister’s Car Expenses (in Church plate); Anon., Tolsta, £3, for Foreign Missions Fund (in Church plate); Friend, Ardneaskan, £10, for Congregational Purposes per Rev. D. MacLean; Tolsta Friend, in memory of a beloved wife and mother, £7, for Church Heating, £7 for Manse Heating and £6 for Minister’s Car Expenses.
Oban: Anon., £10, for Congregational Funds, per T. Maton.
Portree: Miss A. MacP., £1, for Property Maintenance Fund, per A.M.D.; Anon., £5, for Church Bus (in Church plate); Anon., £5 (in Church plate).
Raasay: Raasay Friend, £8, for Sustentation Fund; Inverness Friend, £1, for Communion Expenses, both per Rev. D. Nicolson; Envelope in plate, £8; Anon, £20, both for Sustentation Fund; Anon., £15, for Church door collection; In memory of my loving sister Janet, Inverarish, £8, for Congregational Funds.
Shieldaig: Anon., £10; Anon., £5, both for Car Fund; Anon., £2, for Door Collection.
South Harris: Anon., Adherent, £10, for Sustentation Fund.
Strath: Friend, £5, per Mr D. MacKay; Friend, Staffin, per Mr & Mrs D. Cameron, both for Sustentation Fund; In collection plate, £5, for Church use.
Waternish: M.M.L., £2, for Congregational Fund.