Six months have now passed since that memorable day when on 25th May, 1993, almost 800 Free Presbyterians and friends gathered in the Assembly Hall in Edinburgh to record their thanks to the Most High for 100 years of His preserving mercy and goodness to us as a Church and people. We can truly say “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.” My mind has been going back over the years. Days of rejoicing and days of sorrow have coursed through my mind as I have been reflecting on the past history of Scotland and of our beloved Church in particular. We feel compelled therefore to share with our readers some of these reflections.
The beautiful city of Edinburgh has been the scene of many historic events down through the corridors of time. The many ancient landmarks are reminders to us of the struggle which our forefathers had in order to preserve for us the high privilege of having the pure gospel yet preached in our beloved land. The Grassmarket is one of these landmarks where many heroes and heroines of the Covenant laid down their lives for the Crown rights of King Jesus, also the nearby Greyfriars Churchyard where the dust of many of the Martyrs of Scotland awaits a glorious Resurrection Day. Coming up the High Street towards the Assembly Hall, St Giles stands as a reminder of the blessed servant of the Lord, John Knox, “who feared not the face of man,” and preached the gospel to the everlasting good of both old and young — as the resurrection morning will make manifest. Across the street stands John Knox’s house from which many prayers ascended continually to the God of Heaven for the reformation of Scotland from the power of Rome. He was heard to plead with God: “Lord give me Scotland ere I die”.
School history books in my young days carried a picture which depicted John Knox presiding over the first Communion Service under the Protestant order, indicating Scotland’s freedom from the idolatrous Mass.
One hundred years ago in Edinburgh the focus of attention was on the Assembly Hall where delegates were gathered to the Annual Assembly in the Jubilee Year of the Free Church of Scotland. In May 1993 as I sat in the same Assembly Hall and experienced the warm and friendly atmosphere — among friends, I could not help but weep tears of both joy and sorrow as I thought of Rev Donald Macfarlane, then a lone figure among a hostile crowd. Was there not a cause? Yes, indeed. It was a dark day for Scotland when none could be found in that gathering who would rise in defence of the truth of the Word of God against the iniquitous Declaratory Act. The Lord gave strength to Mr Macfarlane “in whose heart there was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel”. As I looked on the table where the dear man of God laid his “heaven sent” protest, I felt that I would have liked to have a view of that document. It will no doubt be housed in the archives of the Church of Scotland.
Under the chairmanship of Rev Donald MacLean, Glasgow, Moderator of the Synod, who preached an appropriate sermon already familiar to readers of the magazine, the proceedings of the day were ably handled. As I listened to the various speakers there was a great cause for raising our “Ebeneezers” to the Lord as events of the past 100 years were recalled to mind. In the marvellous loving kindness of the Lord, men were raised up “in due time” throughout the years to defend the Cause of Christ against the wiles of the devil. The fact that the Lord was pleased to extend both our bounds was very much in evidence with representatives present from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.
We rejoiced in our souls to see the evidence of the fruit of the gospel preached in so many lands. “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth.” We felt that we could say with open arms, the words of Moses to Hobab: “We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you; come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel” Numbers 10: 29.
While we crossed the City to get to the place where a meal had been prepared for us, my thoughts went back to the many happy Communion seasons which I spent with the eminent servants of the Lord, Revs. Neil MacIntyre and Donald Campbell — both able preachers of the gospel and sincere and faithful men as the great day will manifest. Further “days of old” were called to mind while having our evening meal together. Friends from other denominations, who had come specially to be with us on the occasion of our centenary, reminded us of tokens of the Lord’s goodness to us in the city of London in the early days of my ministry. This is the city where that eminent servant of the Lord Rev J. P. MacQueen laboured with much success, and was so vigilant in the defence of Protestantism against the inroads of the idolatrous Roman Catholic system which is leading millions astray for eternity.
Leaving these capital cities behind, let me draw your minds to a far more glorious city than any city of this world; the city of the Great King, the heavenly Jerusalem; the city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God. You and I reader shall be in the Eternal world before long. The question is: “Have we on the wedding garment?” If so, “Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” 1 Cor. 2: 9.
At death when the sincere and true believers enter heaven, what glorious visions await them. They shall see God sitting upon his glorious throne while the holy angels vail their faces because of the view they have of His holiness. They shall see many “who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Rev Gillies, Stornoway preached in London on the words in Mark 7: 24, “but he could not be hid”, and he quoted the above truth. Notice carefully, he said, how Christ is addressing his Church as if it were they themselves that had washed themselves. Owing to His infinite love for them He speaks as if they had done it all themselves. No other reason for His saying this can be given, but precisely that — HIS INFINITE LOVE.
Because of the afflictions of the Lord’s people in this vale of tears He, in His love and faithfulness to them as they are about to enter the cold valley of the shadow of death, whispers to them: “Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea I will help thee; yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” Isaiah 41: 10. When the child of God, like another of old, asks the question in that blessed city: “What are these wounds in thy hands?” He shall receive the reply: “Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends” Zech. 13: 6. It would prove beneficial for us to think of the other glorious visions which will be revealed in heaven. Luther said: “I am longing for heaven, there to see the loveliness of Christ . . . also I long to see the angel that ministered to Christ in the garden . . . and to be where Satan cannot assail me ever again.”
Let me conclude with the touching words of that servant of God who stood shoulder to shoulder with Rev D. Macfarlane — Rev Donald Macdonald, Shieldaig, as he preached from Song of Solomon chapter 2 verse 1. This is what the Saviour said of Himself: “I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys” — notice of the ‘VALLEYS’ in the plural. The first valley he points out is the womb of the virgin. You should read the whole sermon in his book for your own benefit.
May the Lord bless our witness as a Church in the days which lie ahead. Days are dark and the forces of evil are on the rampage because the devil knows that his time is getting short. Let us be on the watchtower and encourage ourselves with the words of the whole of psalm 124 which proved such a comfort to the martyrs of Scotland in their hour of trial.
“Our sure and all sufficient help
is in JEHOVAH’S name.”