by Rev. Neil Cameron
(This letter and others to follow were written to Donald MacMaster, Strontian, whose obituary, written by Rev. Neil Cameron, appeared in the September 1897 issue of the Free Presbyterian Magazine. They have come into our hands through Mr R. MacKinnon, Headmaster, Beauly, of whose wife Donald MacMaster was a great, grand uncle. We are grateful to him for sending them to us).
30 Willowbank Street,
Glasgow.
31st May 1893
My dear friend,
I am sorry that your health has not been so good for a while back, but “the Lord is just in all His ways, holy in all His works.” I hope by the benefit of this wonderful weather you may get over your severe cough.
We are living in most dangerous times. The Free Church under this pernicious and soul-destroying Act has abandoned the truth of God and the distinctive principles of the Church of Scotland Free and though it has come to “Bible or no Bible”, as the Rev. Mr McCaskill, Dingwall, said in a speech delivered in Glasgow a year last February, yet these men don’t seem to be prepared to hold by the truth and to let lies go to their own place. Rev. Mr Macfarlane, Raasay, alone of all the ministers at the Assembly stood to the truth and principles of our church. He broke his connection entirely with the Declaratory Act church but is still and intends to be a Minister of the Free Church according to what the Free Church held forth at the Disruption. The Kilfinnan (Tighnabruaich) congregation last Monday evening broke their connection with Dr Rainy and his Voluntary Declaratory Act Church and took their stand along with Mr Macfarlane.
There is to be a meeting at Inverness on the 13th June at which all those who intend to refuse to follow a church which forsook the truth, shall join together in signing a Bond of Union, and shall be prepared to defend their persons, the truth and the principles of the Reformation against men who are determined to rob us of the truth of God and I expect that men will be sent forth from that conference to enlighten the people throughout the Highlands.
I saw Miss Cameron and Mrs Boyd today. Miss Cameron is not strong just now. The state of the cause is a heavy burden to her.
Remember me kindly to all “the few” at Strontian.
With fond regards to yourself.
I am,
Your aff. friend,
Neil Cameron.
P.S. I sent you the Northern Chronicle of last week to let you see what the elders in the North intend to do. — N.C.