Rev. W. Verhoeks:
‘On behalf of the Board and all the friends of the Mbuma Mission, we give you a hearty welcome on our annual Mission-day Meeting.
It rejoices us that you have found time and opportunity to be able to be present here today; you, Mr MacLeod, after six years for the second time as deputy of the home-front, the Foreign Mission Committee of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland; and you, Mr Murray, for the first time as deputy of the mission-field, the Presbytery of Zimbabwe, in which you and your wife are labouring already so many years. Therefore it does good to us that your wife is also in our midst today. It is a wonder, and may it be or become a wonder to us personally that the Lord grants it to us in the midst of all the tumult of the people, to be together today. May it be in His favour, for ‘except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain’. That applies also to all the activities for the sake of the Mission. The Lord bless the mission-work of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland to the extension of His kingdom.
We do hope that you, Mr MacLeod, and Mr and Mrs Murray, may have a pleasant and blessed day with us and that you will feel yourselves at home in the midst of us, notwithstanding it will be a little bit difficult for you to follow all the addresses because of the barrier of language. Thank you.”
Rev. John MacLeod:
“I would like to base my address on the words: ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.’ The title given to God here — “the Lord of Hosts” — directs attention to the fact that He is sovereign — that He reigns supreme — doing what is “according to His will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth”. Zechariah was raised up and sent forth at a particular time and for a particular purpose. He was to be instrumental in stirring up the people to give their support to the Lord’s cause in their midst and he was, especially, to encourage Joshua, the High Priest, and Zerrubabel, the Governor, to continue the re-building of the temple. This was necessary in order that God might be glorified in their midst and worshipped in the manner appointed by Himself. It was thus that sinners would be enabled to draw nigh to the one living and true God Who had placed His testimony and law in Israel. Those who laboured — in whatever capacity — to advance the interests of Christ’s Cause and kingdom — as we may express it — were to ever bear in mind that their God, however great the difficulties which confronted them, and however conscious they might be of their own weakness and insufficiency, would prove to be an unfailing source of strength to them, and the work, being His, would surely be brought to completion. They were, with all their heart, to put their hands to the Lord’s work but they were to do so in the knowledge that without Him they could do nothing.
It is no literal temple that is now in process of building but a “spiritual house” of which Christ Himself is the “chief corner stone” and upon which “lively stones” (that is, regenerated sinners of Adam’s lost and ruined race) are built up. They are brought into union with Him by that faith which is Spirit-wrought — that faith which “cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God”.
What we are endeavouring to do in Africa — above everything else — is to bring the Word of God — the Gospel — to the ears of sinners. We do so in the hope that the Lord will bless it and that it may thus come to them “not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance” — just as in Thessalonica long ago. Our desire is that many would “turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God” and be delivered from “the wrath to come”. That is the work to which we believe the Lord has called us and it is just as it pleases the Holy Spirit to bless the Word that sinners “dead in trespasses and sins” are quickened and as “lively stones” come to be part of the spiritual temple.
Without the blessing of the Holy Spirit our labours in Africa, on Sabbath and weekday, will all be in vain for it is “not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.”
Human might and power are excluded. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty of God to the pulling down of strongholds. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation unto everyone that believeth and it is vain for men, however gifted, to think that they are able by their own eloquence and learning to convert sinners. Nor is it going to be done by outward physical constraint and coercion. If that were to be attempted, it would be to follow the evil example of the Spanish Inquisition. No! The means to be used are the means which have been divinely appointed. Paul planted in Corinth and Apollos watered but it was God who “gave the increase”. Paul’s planting and Apollos’s watering consisted in preaching Christ crucified. It pleased God by the “foolishness” of such preaching to save them that believed.
We are most grateful to you — to all of you — young, old and middle-aged — on the platform and on the floor of this hall — for the wonderful support you continue to give, year after year, to our mission work in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Kenya. Our Foreign Missions Committee in Scotland would desire me to convey to you their deep appreciation. Without your help our activities would be very much curtailed. We assure you that the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland continues, by the grace of God, to contend earnestly for “the faith once delivered to the saints”. That means that it still holds fast the foundation truth that the Bible is the inspired, infallible and inerrant Word of God and that it subscribes to the Westminster Confession of Faith, in its entirety, and without reservation. We continue, as in the past, to bear witness against the evils of Roman Catholicism, Arminianism and Modernism.
Our great need is that the Holy Spirit would come in quickening, reviving power. For that we are earnestly to pray. Nothing short of another mighty Reformation, wrought by the Spirit of God, will quicken the dead and revive the living in Africa, in Europe and throughout the world. All power in heaven and in earth is given to Him who died triumphantly at Calvary. That is what is to encourage us to be “steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord”. That is what will encourage us all the more earnestly to pray: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
‘His large and great dominion shall
from sea to sea extend:
It from the river shall reach forth
unto earth’s utmost end.’
Mr Neil Murray:
It gives me great pleasure to be with you on this occasion. I have heard and read about this meeting over the years. And now to be here with you is indeed great cause of thankfulness to the Most High, and I do wish to thank the Mbuma Zending Committee for inviting me. Also we thank you for giving us Dr Hak to work at Mbuma.
I sincerely wish to convey to you greetings and thanks from our church in Zimbabwe. It gives us great encouragement when you remember us at the Throne of Grace and give of your liberality towards the work of the Mission. We owe a deep measure of gratitude to you, but especially to the Most High who has given us a mind to labour in that far off land. “Paul may plant, Apollos may water, but it is God Who gives the increase.” May we look to Him for the increase. For in ourselves we are weak vessels.
We need the power of the Holy Spirit to bless the Truth to sinners, The Lord Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by Him.
We are saddened by the death of Rev. Dube, Zenka. He was present with you here last year. His death is a great loss to the Cause in Zimbabwe. But we believe it is his eternal gain.
There is much work to be done not only in Zimbabwe, but also in Malawi and Kenya. We must work while it is day. The night cometh when no man can work. In Zimbabwe it is encouraging to see so many attending the means of grace, but we need the power of the Holy Spirit to make us all new creatures in Christ Jesus. May our prayer and desire be that the Lord will send forth labourers into His vineyard. The harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few. May we each plead this great promise, that Ethiopia to God shall soon stretch out her hand.