Induction of Rev Alasdair B MacLean
It was in circumstances of no ordinary kind that the Southern Presbytery met in the Perth church for the induction of Rev Alasdair B MacLean on Friday, 4 September 2020. The meeting for this happy and solemn purpose had been intended for April 17, but in the inscrutable providence of the Most High, the worldwide pandemic had made all meetings of this kind, and even the ordinary gatherings for divine worship, inexpedient. By the exercise of a lawful but exceedingly extensive authority, the Government of the United Kingdom had prohibited public gatherings and the use of public buildings in an attempt to contain the rapid spread of an unknown disease. In such circumstances, the Church of Christ, though free and independent of civil control, is no doubt morally obliged to assist in the preservation of life and to delay some of its duties.
It was under significant restrictions nonetheless that the Presbytery arranged the induction, and with only six Presbytery members present, the entire gathering consisted of only 26 persons. It was, nevertheless, a most encouraging and profitable meeting and brought to an end a long vacancy of 19 years in the small Church extension charge of Perth, Stirling and Dundee. Mr MacLean’s health had required him to resign his charge in the Ingwenya congregation in Zimbabwe, and it was cause for much thankfulness that he felt sufficiently recovered to take up the care of the souls of the little flock in Perth, a congregation so different to the hundreds assembling in Africa to hear the same glorious gospel preached.
The order of proceedings followed were exactly those adopted at such solemn occasions elsewhere in the Church. The Clerk produced the certificate of the edict having been served on Wednesday, 12 August 2020, in the Perth Church, duly signed by two witnesses. Mr A M MacPherson, the long-serving ruling elder of the Perth congregation, was appointed officer of court and, being instructed to go to the most patent door of the church, he made the solemn proclamation three times, that, “if any person or persons have any objections to the life and doctrine of Mr Alasdair B MacLean, minister of the gospel, they must now repair to the Presbytery, presently met, and substantiate the same to the satisfaction of the Presbytery, with certification that if no one offers relevant objection, or unless relevant objection be proved instanter, the Presbytery will forthwith proceed to the induction of said Mr Alasdair B MacLean and admit him to the pastoral charge of this congregation”.
This being done, the officer of court reported that no one had appeared to
object. The Moderator, Rev Roderick Macleod, then went to the pulpit and preached a most edifying and stirring sermon from Acts 5:20: “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life”. Mr Macleod took each of the significant words of the text as his heads in opening and applying the subject to the case of the ministers of the gospel today.
Public worship being ended, the Clerk read a brief narrative of proceedings to fill the vacancy leading to this induction. This process had of course begun much earlier than would have been usual, the call to Mr MacLean having been signed in Perth in September 2019. The Moderator then addressed to Mr MacLean the questions appointed to be put to ministers on their induction to a pastoral charge, and he having returned satisfactory answers to the same, the Formula being read was signed by Mr MacLean in the presence of the Congregation. The Moderator then engaged in solemn prayer, and in the name of the Presbytery and by authority of the Divine Head of the Church, did receive and admit the said Mr Alasdair B MacLean to the pastoral charge of the Perth, Stirling and Dundee Congregation, and the brethren of the Presbytery gave him the right hand of fellowship.
Thereafter Mr MacLean was addressed by the Moderator, and the Clerk addressed the congregation. Messages of good wishes were then read from a significant number of ministers throughout the Church, many of whom would have likely gathered for such an occasion in other circumstances. Thereafter Rev Alasdair B MacLean’s name was added to the roll of the Presbytery. The service being ended, the congregation was dismissed after the singing of praise and the benediction and Mr MacLean greeted the congregation at the door.
The health restrictions meant that there was no meeting afterwards. There was a sense of disappointment, mingled with the joy of the occasion, that the many friends who would usually gather for inductions, and for whom this union of pastor and congregation would have been such an encouragement, were unable to be present. Yet, the Lord of the Vineyard saw fit that His servant would be set apart to his work in Perth in the manner outlined above. All things being done decently and in order, there is much reason for praise and thankfulness that the settlement has taken place. The Presbytery members are sure that the rest of the Church wish, with them, Mr MacLean much blessing and strength for his duties in Perth and in the area around it, where the work of the gospel has been maintained since the earliest days of the Reformation.
“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchmen waketh but in vain” (Ps 127:1).
(Rev) David Campbell, Clerk of Southern Presbytery
Retiral of Rev John MacLeod and Southern Presbytery Tribute
Many readers of The Free Presbyterian Magazine in Scotland, England and overseas will be familiar with the ministry and labours of Rev John MacLeod, formerly of Stornoway and more recently in the London congregation. At its recent meeting on 24 November 2020, the Southern Presbytery, which Mr MacLeod joined in coming to London in June 2004, accepted with much regret Mr MacLeod’s resignation of his pastoral charge. In agreeing to this anticipated decision of Mr MacLeod to retire from his pastoral labours, the Presbytery were reminded by several members of his faithful and fruitful labours in his Master’s Vineyard, and of his indefatigable labours throughout the Church in many spheres of interest and influence.
At the close of 2019, Mr MacLeod also passed his fiftieth year in the ministry. The Southern Presbytery at its subsequent meeting adopted a tribute to him, which sums up the Presbytery’s sense of gratitude to the Most High for his service among them and throughout the Church. This tribute is therefore shared with the wider readership of the Magazine:
“It is only seldom in the history of the Church that ministers of Christ are spared to serve in an active ministry for fifty years. This the Presbytery is gladly and thankfully able to record in respect of the ministry of the Rev John MacLeod. On 30 December 1969, Mr MacLeod was ordained and inducted to the pastoral charge of the Stornoway congregation, which at that time was of very considerable size. His responsibilities and engagements in the Outer Isles Presbytery continued until his induction to the London congregation on 25 June 2004, where he continues his ministry to the present time.
“Mr MacLeod’s labours in the cause of Christ over these fifty years have been marked by great energy and diligence in serving his Master, and in preaching the glorious gospel with much divine assistance. They have also included many additional burdens both in the pastoral office and in the offices and courts of the Church at all levels. Being Clerk of the Outer Isles Presbytery and of the Synod for many years, Mr MacLeod has also had a long-term interest and involvement in the Church’s work and witness overseas as Convener of the Foreign Missions Committee and on the Dominions and Overseas Committee.
“As a faithful minister of Christ, Mr MacLeod has served the cause of truth well. In contributions to The Free Presbyterian Magazine and a long editorship of the Gaelic Supplement, his skill with his pen was apparent. In his roles as Tutor, for many years in Greek and New Testament, and then more recently in London, in Systematic Theology, he faithfully taught a generation of ministers. His stand for Protestantism is widely known as is his
zealous defence of the Sabbath in the midst of widespread defection. His being the last ordination to be mentioned in the Church’s official History book, the passing of fifty years marks another era of the preservation of the Church’s witness at home and abroad, for which the Presbytery is bound to give thanks to the Most High. Notable in these years was Mr MacLeod’s steadfast adherence to the full-orbed testimony of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the stand taken in 1893 for the Word of God and the Confession of Faith, in defence of which he was willing to suffer reproach and loss, including at the time of the APC schism in 1989.
“The Presbytery desires to express its prayerful hope that he will be spared many years yet in the service of Christ for the good of souls.”
As his pastoral labours come to an end, the Presbytery wishes Mr MacLeod a speedy return to health and fitness. We are sure that the Lord’s people throughout the Church will join us in desiring that Mr MacLeod would be granted sufficient strength to pursue again the preaching of the Word of God, for which he is most fondly and gratefully remembered by those who have profited spiritually from it down through the years.
(Rev) David Campbell, Clerk of Southern Presbytery
Meetings of Presbytery (DV)
Asia Pacific: At Auckland, on Friday, January 29, at 9.30 am.
Southern: At Glasgow, on Wednesday, February 24, at 4 pm.
Western: At Lochcarron, on Tuesday, March 9, at 11 am.
Northern: At Dingwall, on Tuesday, March 9, at 2 pm.
Acknowledgement of Donations
The General Treasurer acknowledges with sincere thanks the following donations:
Jewish & Foreign Missions Fund: Anon, £2000; Providence Strict Baptist Chapel, Irthingborough, for Zimbabwe Mission, £720; Barn Chapel, Bury St Edmunds, for Zimbabwe Mission Famine Relief, £330.
General Fund: Anon, £50.
Congregational Treasurers acknowledge with sincere thanks the following donations:
Dingwall: Anon, £20. Jewish & Foreign Missions Fund: Anon, £80. Both per Rev AWM.
Glasgow: Anon, Rom 10:15, £400; Anon, £20. Eastern Europe Fund: Anon, £80, £80, £70, £60, £60, £80, £60, £80, £80, £81; Anon, Ps 60:4, for the Lord’s work in Eastern Europe, £100.
Outreach Fund: Anon, £10. Where Most Needed: Anon, £100.
Greenock: Anon, £400. Jewish & Foreign Missions Fund: Anon, £400. Sustentation Fund: Anon, £200.
Laid: Anon, Audio services contribution, £500. Door Collection: Friend, Mellon Charles, £180; Friend, Aultbea, £50. Eastern Europe Fund: Anon Friend, Aultbea, £70. Magazines Fund: Anon Friend, Mellon Charles, £36; Friend, Aultbea, £50. Sustentation Fund: Anon Friend, Aultbea, £40.
Perth: Anon, £60 per Rev ABM. Sustentation Fund: Anon, Ps 60:4, £100 per WC.
Portree: Jewish & Foreign Missions Fund: Anon, for Zimbabwe Mission, £100. TBS: Anon, for Bible Distribution, £100.
Stornoway: Jewish & Foreign Missions Fund: Anon, Stornoway, £200.