Synod Motion for Day of Prayer
That Wednesday or Thursday, 12 or 13 December 1990 be held as a day of humiliation and prayer throughout the church at home and abroad to crave the spirit of penitence for an outpouring on the Church of the Blessed Holy Spirit, as the only remedy for the decadence of the age.
Presbytery Meetings (D.V.)
Canadian: At Inverness on 4th December at 9.30 a.m.
Western: At Laide on 11th December at 6 p.m.
Outer Isles: At Stornoway on 5th February 1991 at 12 noon.
Skye: At Portree on 12th February 1991 at 11 a.m.
Northern: At Dingwall on 12th February 1991 at 2 p.m.
Zimbabwe: At Bulawayo on 13th March 1991 at 2 p.m.
Theological Conference
The Theological Conference will be held (D.V.) in the Inverness Church on Tuesday and Wednesday 4th and 5th December. The Conference opens at 2.30 p.m. on the Tuesday. The only paper given in public will be on Wednesday at 7 p.m. when Rev. J. MacLeod will give a paper on “The excellency of the Authorised Version.” For other papers — see November issue of the Magazine.
Ordination and Induction at Daviot
On Thursday 18th October 1990 the Northern Presbytery met for the ordination of the Rev. John Goldby to the holy ministry and his induction to the pastoral charge of the Daviot, Stratherrick and Tomatin Congregation. The other ministers of the Church who were present were associated with the Presbytery. After the Edict had been returned as served, and proclamation made three times at the Church door, the Moderator of Presbytery, Rev. A. F. MacKay, went to the pulpit and preached an appropriate sermon from Hebrews 3: 1. After public worship was ended, the Clerk of Presbytery gave a narrative of proceedings in the Call to Rev. J. Goldby. Thereafter the usual questions were put to Mr Goldby and the Formula was signed by him. Rev. John Goldby then kneeled and the Moderator by solemn prayer, and the laying on of the hands of the ministers of the Presbytery set him apart to the office of the holy ministry. Afterwards he did, in the name of the Presbytery, and by the authority of the Great Head of the Church, induct Rev. John Goldby to the charge of the Daviot, Stratherrick and Tomatin Joint Congregation, in token of which he gave to him the right hand of fellowship. In this he was followed by the other members of the Presbytery. The Clerk then addressed the newly ordained and inducted minister, while Rev. D. Boyd addressed the congregation. Rev. D. MacLean, Glasgow, also addressed the assembled congregation and wished Mr Goldby well. Good wishes from other ministers of the Church were also intimated. The service was concluded with the singing of a Psalm and the benediction.
A large gathering attended the service filling the Church and afterwards were provided with refreshments by the ladies of the congregation, for which Rev. A. F. MacKay later thanked them.
It is gratifying to know that the Daviot, Stratherrick and Tomatin Congregation was vacant less than a year since Rev. D. Boyd was translated to Inverness. Our desire is that the new ministry begun in that part of the Lord’s vineyard may be abundantly blessed of the Lord to the good of never-dying souls.
D. B. Macleod,
Clerk of Presbytery.
List of Communions
The list of Communions on the inside front page of the Magazine has been corrected for 1991. The Editor would be grateful if the ministers of the Church could let him know any further corrections that are necessary.
Editor’s Visit to Africa
The Editor has been asked by the Foreign Missions Committee to go as Church Deputy to Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe from 6th December until 24th January (D.V.). Leave of absence for this visit has been granted by the Northern Presbytery. Rev. A. Ndebele is expected to visit Kenya and Malawi at the same time. The Editor requests the prayers of the people of the Church in connection with these visits that the Lord’s guidance and blessing and safe-keeping may be granted.
Editorial Material for F.P. Magazine
During the months of December and January material for the F.P. Magazine should be sent to Rev. John MacLeod, F.P. Manse, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, who will be acting as Editor during the Editor’s absence.
Dumbarton Communions:
The Kirk Session has decided that the dates of the Dumbarton Communion for 1991 be changed to the first Sabbath of April and the first Sabbath of September (D.V.).
J. A. Henderson, Session Clerk.
Notice from Church Centenary Committee
In view of the fact that all the chapters of the Church Centenary Volume and all the sections of the History of F.P. Congregations must be completed by December, 1991, the Church Centenary Committee urges all those to whom has been delegated the responsibility for these, to proceed with the work expeditiously, with the Committee’s deadline in mind.
The Committee trusts that congregations will continue to contribute to the Commemoration Fund, set up for financing the production of the Centenary Volume and associated publications.
The Committee again appeals to anyone who may have original letters or photographs pertaining to the history of our Church to send them to the Church Librarian, Dr Duncan MacSween, 133 Woodlands Road, Glasgow. All items sent will be carefully preserved and, in due course, returned to their owners. Such items will be of use to the Committee in its preparation of the Church Centenary Volume.
Financial Year End — 31 December 1990
Will Congregational Treasurers please note that all funds in respect of 1990 should be in the General Treasurer’s hands by Tuesday, 8th January 1991. Funds received after that date will be included in 1991.
Increase in Price of Magazines
Owing to a reduction in subscriptions and increased cost of printing, the Magazine Committee has found it necessary to increase the price of the F.P. Magazine to 70p a copy and the Y.P. Magazine to 40p a copy. The Gaelic Supplement will continue to be issued free.
Binding of Magazines
Anyone wishing to bind volumes of the F.P. or Y.P. Magazine should send complete sets of the Magazine to Mr Neil MacLean, F.P. Church Bookroom, 133 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6LE. The cost per volume is £5.
Free Presbyterian Publications
Easily the most important of the titles published by the Church’s Publications Committee is The Westminster Confession of Faith. This is the subordinate standard of our Church, to which all office-bearers must give their unqualified assent. It is also the subordinate standard of most other presbyterian churches in the English-speaking world, though in most cases there is some kind of escape clause allowing those who subscribe to the Confession to do so, although there may be considerable parts of it which they do not accept. This is usually achieved by a Declaratory Act of the type that led in 1893 to the formation of the Free Presbyterian Church as a separate body.
It is very encouraging that in just over two years after the last reprint of 3,000 copies a further printing became necessary. This has been arranged, and 4,500 copies have now been delivered to the Church Bookroom. It now costs £9.50. This latest reprint is identical to the last, except for a very attractive cover design showing the Houses of Parliament in full colour. The book contains, not only The Confession of Faith itself, but also The Larger Catechism and The Shorter Catechism, each with their Scripture proofs. This means that the reader has available a concise body of Scripture doctrine arranged systematically in three different forms, and each doctrine tied by the Scripture proofs to its basis in the Bible. It is obviously a book that should be in every Free Presbyterian home.
Also included are The Sum of Saving Knowledge, The National Covenant, The Solemn League and Covenant, together with the other documents of the Westminster Assembly, The Directory for the Public Worship of God and The Form of Church Government.
We would remind readers of the proposed re-issue of the six volumes of The Works of Ralph Erskine which contain his prose writings. Further details are available from the F.P. Bookroom (133 Woodlands Road, Glasgow, G3 6LE), where all F.P. publications may be obtained.
It is also hoped that a further edition of Thomas M’Crie’s Life of John Knox will be available next year. This book has already been twice reprinted by the Church, but this edition will be newly typeset and will have a more attractive cover design. Two completely new titles are also proposed. One is the fine book by Alexander Stewart of Cromarty, The Tree of Promise. It deals with the sacrifices and some of the other types of the Old Testament, and it is probably the best treatment of the subject for the general reader. The other book is a collection of some of the articles on topics in Scottish church history, such as the Marrow Controversy, written by the one-time editor of this magazine, the Rev. Donald Beaton. These articles will be drawn both from the Free Presbyterian Magazine and other sources. Mr Beaton was widely acknowledged as an able and informed writer, and it seems very desirable that at least some of his work should be brought before a wider public.
Three children’s books are being prepared for issue under the auspices of the Welfare of Youth Committee. One, though not the first, is a revised edition of Gospel Gleanings for Young People, and another is to be for younger children.
More details of the unpublished titles will follow in due course, D.V.
K.D.M.
Acknowledgment of Donations
The General Treasurer acknowledges with sincere thanks the following donations:-
Eastern Europe: Friends, Kirkhill £20 for Bibles for E. Europe; Friends, Eketahuna £100 for Psalm Books for Russia, both per Rev. D.A.R.
The Treasurers of the following Congregations acknowledge with sincere thanks the following donations:-
Dingwall: Friend, N. Tolsta £5 (where most needed); Friend, N. Tolsta £5; Mrs Macl., N. Tolsta £5, all per Rev. D.B.M.
Dumbarton: Inverness Friends £20 for Congr. Fd. per M.H.
Edinburgh: T. £200 (envelope in plate) for the most needy Funds of the Church.
Glasgow: Anon., £100 for Minister’s Car/Telephone; Anon., £100 where most needed, both for Congr. Fd.; J.C. £30; Matth. 6: 3 £10; M.G. £10; Anon., £10; Anon., £10; Anon., £10; Anon., £5; Anon., £5 all for Car Fund; Anon., £5; Anon., £5; Anon., £5 all for Sust. Fund; Anon., £300 for Jewish and Foreign Mission Fund.
Greenock: Friend, Harris £10; M.G., Glasgow £10; I.C., Glasgow £20 for Congr. Purposes; I.C. £10 for Comm. Exps., all per Rev. L. MacLeod; Anon., £40 for Russian Bibles.
Inverness: Anon., £80 to be used where needed most, per envelope in plate; Mrs N. M. £10, where most needed, per Rev. D.M.B.
Kames: Friend, Kyle of Bute £50 for General Purposes.
Larne: K. & A. Macl., Glendale £20; Envelope in plate £20 for Mbuma Mission Hospital; Envelope in plate £20 (£10 for For. Miss. & £10 for Congr. Fds); Envelope in plate £20 (£10 for Sust. Fd. & £10 for Home Miss.)
Lochbroom: Mrs McL. £21; Mrs M. £10, both for Congr. Tape Fd., both per Rev. N.M.R.
London: From the Estate of the late Miss Margaret MacKenzie, London per Child and Child, Solicitors, £100, for Church and Manse Fund.
North Harris: Friend, Stockinish £3; Friend, Stockinish £2; Friend, Stockinish £10, all for Door Collection; Friend, Stockinish £10, where most needed, all per R.M.C.; Friend, Stornoway £6 for door coll. per J. McL.
North Tolsta: In memory of a beloved husband £10 (in plate); In memory of my mother £20 (in plate); In memory of a beloved husband £10 (in plate); In memory of my mother £20 (in plate); In memory of a dear brother £20 (in plate); T.&C. £10, all for Congr. Fds.; Mr and Mrs B. £50; Anon., £5; J. & A.M.D. £20, all for Sabbath School outing; Anon., £3 for B.T.S. (in plate); In memory of our beloved parents £20 for heating; Anon., £20 for Church Windows per D. MacKenzie; Anon., Tolsta £20 for For. Miss. Fd.; Friend of the Cause, Breasclete £10 for Comm. Exps. (in plate).
North Uist: Friend, N. Harris £25 for Sust. Fd.; J.&K., Tarbert £20; Friend, N. Harris £20; Friend, Harris £10; Friend, Harris £5, both where most needed; Anon., £5; Friend, N. Harris £5; Friend, N. Harris £5, both for Petrol.
Portree: Two Friends £40 for Sust. Fd., per F.M.; Anon., £10 for Tapes per A.M.N.; Friends £10 for Church Door Coll. per S.Y.M.
Raasay: From the Estate of the late Miss Margaret MacKenzie “in memory of my sister Sheila” £100 for Sust. Fd. and £100 for Home of Rest, Inverness, per Rev. J. R. Tallach; C.F. £15 where most needed; Friend of the Cause, Inverarish £20 for Manse Central Heating per M.D. MacKay; M.D. £10 for Congr. Fd. per Rev. J. R. Tallach.
South Harris: Friend, Leverburgh Home £100; Friend, Leachlee £20, Friend, Glasgow £20; Friend, Northton £20 for comm. Exps. per Rev. K. MacLeod.
Stornoway: M.&C. £50, where most needed; Friend, Stockinish £5 for petrol; J.&K. £10 for Congr. Purposes; Friend, Stockinish £25 for Sust. Fd.; Friend, Stockinish £30; Friend, Stockinish £10, both for Petrol; Friend, Stockinish £10; Friend, Stornoway £20, both for Sust. Fd., all per Rev. J. MacLeod.
Tain: Glasgow Friend £10 for Sust. Fd.
Notice of Correction — Sydney Congregation:
During 1989 Sydney Congregation gave a donation of £223.05 to the Jewish and Foreign Mission Fund, this was not shown in the table of donations that appeared in the April magazine.