The Record - October 2018 by Free Church of Scotland

THE

RECORD

MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND OCTOBER 2018 • £2.00

Editor • Rev. David A Robertson The Editor, The Record, St Peter’s Free Church, 4 St Peter Street, Dundee, DD1 4JJ 07825 748752 drobertson@freechurch.org Missions News • Mrs Sarah Johnson Free Church Offices, 15 North Bank Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS sarah@freechurch.org WFM Editor • Sarah Cumming 31 Doune Park, Dalgety Bay, KY11 9LX sarah.cumming@hotmail.co.uk Gaelic Editor • Janet MacPhail 24 North Bragar, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9DA 01851 710354 Seminary News • Rev. Thomas Davis St. Columba's Free Church, Johnston Terrace Edinburgh, EH1 2PW thomas@stcolumbas.freechurch.org Prayer Diary • Mrs Mairi Macdonald ian.macdonald57@btinternet.com

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CONTENTS

WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER RECORD

pologies if this record is a wee bit later than usual. it’s entirely the editor’s fault.

Although in my defence it is hard trying to run a growing church, evangelise Scotland, engage with the culture and edit the denominational magazine. A wee plea for help. You would make my life a lot easier if you sent in news items and potential articles — and sent them in timeously. i.e. if you want something in the November edition, send it in now. Please note the following guidelines. We cannot guarantee that every article or news item will get in. It depends on space and content. If you send photos can you please make sure they are of good quality (in terms of resolution) and that they are labeled. If you have ideas for articles please let me know. This month we have lots of news….and this is only a taste of what the Lord is doing in and through his church. I don’t wish to show favouritism but I thought the story of Ian MacLennan from Kiltearn Free Church getting a French honour (p15) is really special. This month we have also included a couple of testimonials – one from the new Free Church in Govan and another from Charlotte Chapel Baptist Church in Edinburgh. We also have a couple of stories about writing in the secular press. Whilst I was in Australia I came across a remarkable columnist in the Spectator called Mark Powell — imagine my delight when I discovered that he is an evangelical Presbyterian minister! Meanwhile at the other end of the scale (but just as important) is our own Duncan Macleod from Dornoch who has a regular column in ‘The Raggie’ (The Northern Times). In that regard it is also good that some secular newspapers are picking up on some of the stories and items in The Record. Feel free to share. It is also good that people are using the digital version. Please feel free to subscribe — either for yourself or perhaps a friend or a Christian worker overseas. It is especially good for them as it avoids the cost of postage and is obviously immediately delivered. My favourite page in this month is the poetry page — with John Donne’s beautiful poem. It's one I want to cut out and frame. Beautiful poetry, beautifully presented. That is what we long for. We want the beauty of Christ to be reflected in all that we do. May His beauty be upon you, and may you be able to share that wherever you go in the coming weeks. • See you next month… David

2018

THE RISE OF CIVIC CHRISTIANITY AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE CHURCH

REDEEMING THE DAYS Mark Powell

CHURCH COMMUNICATION SURVEY

WRITING FOR THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER Duncan MacLeod

DON'T FORGET THE UNBORN Dr. James Hardy

FREE CHURCH NEWS Ayr Bible Convention, Kyle Free Church, Portree & Bracadale Induction, New Assistant at St. Columba's, Ordination and Induction at Park Free Church, Hope Church Glasgow, Gairloch Free Church Induction, 2018 Islands Conference, Légion D'Honneur Award, Hope Church Coatbridge, Robert McGovern Testimony

PRAYER DIARY

REASONS TO BELIEVE IN CREATION Dr. Antony Latham

ETS NEWS Thomas Davis

ECCLESIASTES: THE NAKED APE AND ETERNAL LIFE

40TH ANNIVERSARY OF DUMISANI J.C. Whytock

SIX MONTHS IN BEIRA, MOZAMBIQUE Iain Murchison

DIARY OF A WEEK IN LEWIS Dayspring MacLeod

FREE CHURCH BOOKS INTERVIEW: REV. ANGUS MACRAE

BOOK REVIEWS

POETRY PAGE John Donne

GAELIC Janet MacPhail

POST TENEBRAS LUX Catriona Murray

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THE RISE OF CIVIC CHRISTIANITY AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE CHURCH

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OCTOBER

The difficulty with being a biblical prophet is that God often tells you to say things that your audience does not want to hear.

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t’s a somewhat strange paradox.

As the church seems to be in decline, the number of religious items in the news increases and the clergy are everywhere. Tom Nairn’s quip that Scotland wouldn’t be free until the last Church of Scotland minister had been strangled with the last copy of The Sunday Post (how’s that for hate speech?!), if true, would suggest that independence is a long way off. D.C. Thomson, the publishers of The Sunday Post, are one of the few publishing firms doing well (unlike the recently demised Sunday Herald) and although the Church of Scotland is losing most of its Indians, it still has plenty of chiefs. Despite the most fervent wishes of the more militant secularists, religion is not going to disappear from civil society soon. Indeed I suspect it is highly likely that it will become even more prominent, but is this a good thing? What we call civic Christianity seems to be growing — or it is as least as prevalent as ever. It seems as though our political leaders want some kind of religious blessing on their secular endeavours. It’s why chaplains are wanted in schools, hospitals, work places and political institutions. Religious leaders are then all too keen to grasp at the straw of civic Christianity in order to justify their own existence. But what is the place of Christianity in public life? Should we still live in a society where we have school chaplains, the Kirking of the Council and prayers in parliament? John Owen’s Sermons to the Nation are from a different time — but when you read them you can only long for our current politicians to hear such preaching. Let’s examine some recent examples of what we call ‘civic religion’. The Archbishop of Canterbury is a self-professed evangelical, coming out of the Alpha school. His church is in trouble — only 2% of young people even nominally identify with the Church of England and its numbers have halved in the past fifteen years. There is no indication that this trend will not continue. Yet the Archbishop (and bishops) is an influential members of the Establishment. In a recent speech to the TUC, Justin Welby wooed his audience by announcing that there should be more taxes, praised the unions, condemned zero-hour contracts (which he called ‘the reincarnation of an ancient evil’) and denounced Amazon. The trouble with his speech is not that what he said was wrong — though your political views will colour your views of that— but rather whether he should have said it, and what he missed out. We don’t believe that Christian leaders should keep quiet about politics, but we should be very careful about making pronouncements on behalf of the Bible or the Church. For example, I have views on the EU and Scottish independence — but I would never dare claim that they

2018

are views revealed to me directly from God or that the Church should share those views. The Church is not a political organisation. We can proclaim biblical principles that will have political implications, but we should not baptise any particular political philosophy. There is always the danger of hypocrisy as well. No sooner had the screen faded on Welby’s speech denouncing Amazon than news came that the Church of England was a major shareholder in…Amazon! We were told that zero-hour contracts were a reincarnation of evil and then discovered that some C of E cathedrals use zero-hour contracts. Did someone not once say something about taking the beam out of our own eyes first?! But the bigger problem is with what he didn’t say. The difficulty with being a biblical prophet is that God often tells you to say things that your audience does not want to hear. The Archbishop’s speech at the TUC was like a ‘love-in’ — an endorsement of everything that his audience would like to hear. Although he said there was a great deal of God in it…there was in fact very little. Indeed, if I were a trade unionist I would have gone away with the impression that God agreed with me and all was well with the world (apart from the evil capitalists of course!). A truly prophetic word would have been the archbishop challenging the culture of death (abortion and euthanasia) and thereby asking the unions to stand up for the weakest and most vulnerable in our society. Imagine the reception if he had challenged the deconstruction of humanity and marriage currently being enforced by the rich and powerful on our culture! But of course such a prophetic word would not be said in that particular echo chamber. Tickling ears means that you avoid ‘offence’, i.e. anything that challenges or disturbs those who are listening. And that is the main problem with civic Christianity. We are allowed to be chaplains in schools, universities and other civic institutions as long as we never say anything that would disturb the status quo. We are allowed, even encouraged, to talk about being radical — as long as we never are radical. When I was asked to go and speak at a university CU recently, they received a health and safety form asking that my speech be vetted in order to ensure that no one would be upset (triggered) by what I said. Dundee University frequently get requests from outside groups asking that they dismiss me as a chaplain because I do not bow down to their gods. Our society wants a religious veneer and blessing, as long as it is on their terms. If you are not on (their) message you are excluded. Take for example the recent Pride marches in Perth and Dundee. Both were blessed by clergy (one C of S and one Anglican) who were described in the press as ‘brave

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and courageous’. In what sense could that be true? They stood up and told the mob what the mob (and the media) wanted to hear. Being brave would mean proclaiming the Word of God, not baptising the philosophies of men. This civic religion is also seen in other countries. The United States does not have an Established Church, but it does have an established religion. The US is ‘One Nation under God’. US politicians (like US sports stars) are far more likely to thank the Almighty than their counterparts in Europe. It would be a severe electoral handicap in most of the US if you announced you were an atheist (which is surely why only a couple of Congresspeople have done so). But that nominal Christianity can have its own problems — especially when you add to it the politisation of the Church. In the blue corner we have the liberal church, enthusiastically endorsing every Democratic policy they can find – which results in the blasphemy of Chelsea Clinton claiming that abortion was a Christian thing to do. In the red corner we have much of the evangelical church, implying if not explicitly stating that to be Christian is to be Republican. The Moral Majority may be turning into the Moral Minority but it still holds considerable political sway. This has resulted in the blasphemy of leaders not only endorsing President Trump but also showing the most appalling double standards. Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist in Dallas, for example, stated of the President’s alleged affair with a porn star, “Even if that’s true, it doesn’t matter…policy is more important than the President’s personal lifestyle.” Thus the evangelicals who proclaimed that President Clinton was not fit for office because of his sexual sin have ended up endorsing a President whose sexual behaviour is worse. I realise that there are many good Christians who regard this as a kind of tradeoff — they will ignore the President’s ungodly behaviour and attitudes as long as they can retain a seat at the table. This is the kind of political tradeoff that has, throughout the history of the Church, never worked. We are not a political organisation and we should not play at politics. Our task is to proclaim Christ and his Word — whatever the response might be. Speaking truth to power means telling Herod that he is an adulterer who is going to be judged by God, not seeking to retain your ‘place in the nation’ by flattery and political manipulation. Meanwhile in Australia, Scott Morrison has just become their first ever Pentecostal Prime Minister. This has resulted in the usual mockery and fearmongering. Australia is in the midst of a drought just now and Mr Morrison called for prayer — thus triggering social media outrage. Thankfully Mr Morrison is not playing the religion card, which is just as well, because he endorses policies that many Christians would disagree with (just as there are many who would agree). If the new Prime Minister is a believer, then we

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should be thankful and pray that his policies would be informed by his Christian faith. We pray for him as a brother, as we pray for pagan politicians. We don’t want the exclusion of Christianity from the public sphere — we just don’t want the politicians using Christianity as a political tool. Christ is too precious for that. Back in the UK we remain thankful for the number of Christians who are actively involved in public life (some under the radar). None more so than our Head of State — the Queen. God save our gracious Queen. In many ways she has been the glue that has held this nation together, and her faith has been the glue that has held her together. I dread to think what will happen when she is no longer with us. Prince Charles has already said that he wants to be Defender of Faith, not Defender of The Faith. This is not just a meaningless truism — it’s what is does mean that is disturbing. Faith in and of itself is not a good thing. It can be blind. It can be dangerous. It can be false. Why would we defend what is blind, dangerous and false? The fact is that this nation was founded upon the Christian faith — and the United Kingdom more specifically on the Protestant and evangelical faith. The Bible is a foundational document of our society and culture. As we remove ourselves away from that and go our own way (the greatest punishment that the Lord could inflict upon us), it is not that we will end up with a secular, neutral state with no faith. No — we will end up with a society where the state has replaced God. We don’t want a theocracy (where the Church runs the state) but neither do we want a technocracy, an aristocracy or a secular State where the state (run by the self-perpetuating elites) becomes God. The genius of the British system was that it was a democracy, a secular state in which due acknowledgement was given to God, and there is a proper separation between church and state. The road we are heading right now is towards a new civic religion. I dare not call it Christianity. It is a baptised secularism where the state clergy become in effect the priests of the state, doing its bidding and teaching its doctrines. We become the state’s ‘useful idiots’. Respectability and ‘keeping a seat at the table’ become the modus operandi. Never mind how few people are in our churches — at least we get to sit on government boards and the state media table. It’s not just the Established churches such as the C of E and C of S that fall into this trap. Baptists like Steve Chalke and gay activists like Vicky Beeching are welcomed as ‘religious representatives’ by the state, precisely because they endorse the state’s doctrines. Even biblical groups like the Free Church can be tempted just to keep our heads down and keep quiet, lest we are discriminated against and lose even the few crumbs we get from the state’s largesse (bear in mind that

OCTOBER

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We don’t want the politicians using Christianity as a political tool. Christ is too precious for that.

At best, civic religion is playing at religion. At worst, it is using religion to reinforce the doctrines and faith of the secular elites who rule over us.

21% of people in Scotland are employed directly by the state, and a further 20% are indirectly employed). And so we play the game. We go along with the civic religion. We kid ourselves that we are being salt and light, as we go with the flow. It’s dangerous and banal. I was recently at a state Christian service — being held to bless a particular institution — as was the tradition. The tiny congregation (half of whom had to be there because they were participating or part of the official entourage) were treated to a service of such banality that it made atheism seem positively exciting and attractive. There was no mention of Jesus, no reading from the Bible, and the only hymn sung was one with which any Deist or even atheist could have joined in. The clergy were there, including of course an imam. The fact that Islam and Christianity worship different gods was conveniently ditched for the state doctrine that all religions are essentially the same. The clergy wore all their robes and finery, supposedly to add an air of dignity. But there was nothing to dignify. The talks were banal to the point of imbecility. I listened to intelligent people telling us that we were all in a wonderful place and we were all wonderful people and all we had to do was be nice to each other. I don’t need a clergyman (or woman) to tell me that. I can hear it down the pub — and probably with more humour and fun than in a stuffy assembly of people playing at religion.

2018

For that is what civic religion is. At best it is playing at religion. At worst it is using religion to reinforce the doctrines and faith of the secular elites who rule over us. It’s why ‘Thought for the Day’ usually reflects the current secular zeitgeist rather than any biblical teaching. It’s why most civic sermons are little more than therapeutic deistic moralism. It’s why the Church is losing spiritual power whilst retaining the remnants of civic power. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do (Ps. 11:3)? We remember that the Lord is still on his throne and that he is the one who loves justice. We argue for freedom of religion, the root and source of all our other democratic freedoms. We proclaim the Good News of the Christ who came into the world to save sinners and to bring about the ultimate renewal. We remind the civil authorities that ultimately neither the Church nor God answer to them — they have to answer to God as his servants. We pray. We preach. We praise. And we practice. We do the good works that the Lord has prepared in advance for us to do. We speak truth to power, not falsehood to prop up failed politicians. The times call for clarity, courage and compassion. Only the Church that truly follows Christ, has him as its head and listens to his Word and does what he says can fulfill that calling. •

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REDEEMING THE DAYS BY RIGHT REV. MARK POWELL came home from dropping my five children at friday night

youth group and slumped down on the couch.

I’d finished all my ministry commitments and I wondered what I would do with my time. Read a book? Watch some TV? Or maybe try and find a show on Netflix? None seemed really appealing, but even worse, I felt convicted by God’s Spirit that there was a lot of unedifying material out there which I definitely should avoid. And so, I made a vow. I said, ‘OK, Lord, I won’t watch any of those shows. I will commit myself to being used by you in any way you direct or please. Just show me what you would have me do.’ Well, almost immediately I had an idea for an article. I don’t know why, because I had never published anything before. But nonetheless, I sat down and wrote. I was pretty pleased with the first draft but I knew it needed improving. So I sent it to a couple of friends. To my surprise, they were really encouraging and one of them in particular said, ‘You should submit this to The Spectator Australia!’ I was really nervous, but to my second great surprise, they accepted it. In fact, they said, ‘If ever you’ve got anything else, let us know.’ It was strange that they should have said that, because almost immediately I had an idea for not just one, but another two articles! And so I started to discipline myself to use whatever free time I had not to sit in front of the television and ‘veg’ — as we say down under — but to write. I wrote on everything. From domestic violence, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, to even abortion. I just kept on praying, ‘Lord, just show me what you would have me write,’ and my prayer was consistently answered more than I could have ever asked or imagined. Firstly, I had a renewed passion and interest in reading and research.

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I continually found academic articles and theological books about which I thought, ‘People really need to hear about this in a simple and clear way.’ Secondly, the LORD gave me a number of very godly and gifted older men who dedicated themselves to editing and interacting with everything I produced. Some of them would generously give me hours and hours of their time, going through my pieces with a fine-tooth comb. Thirdly, I formed a friendship with a Christian cartoonist who freely gave of his talent to draw ‘thumbnails’ for my pieces. This was important because when online a lot of people read an article based on the headline and what image is associated with it. Apparently, one of the reasons why Luther’s writings were so popular was because they were associated with the artwork of Lucas Cranach the Elder — his pieces are definitely worth googling! Finally, not only did my articles continue to be accepted by the editor, but they proved to be extremely popular, with all of them going into the top ten and most even going to number one. It truly was a case of the gracious hand of the LORD being upon me.

A little over twelve months later, I have published over one hundred articles — approximately two per week. But rather than boast in my own ability, I can only say that I am an unworthy servant who has merely done his duty (Luke 17:10). What I would like to encourage you with is, how might the LORD use you? In particular, are you using the talents, and especially time that He has given you, to His glory? Or could you be doing more? There’s a passage in Ephesians which is especially apt in this regard. It’s where the apostle Paul says: Be very careful, then how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the LORD’s will is. (Eph. 5:15-17) It’s strange that the apostle would say that the ‘days are evil’, isn’t it? But the reason he says that is because they’re full of the temptation to sin. So let’s give ourselves fully to the LORD, knowing that we serve the One who can do ‘immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine’ (Eph. 3:20) • Right Rev. Mark Powell is the former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of NSW and ACT

OCTOBER

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bout twelve months ago i

INTRODUCTION For the first time the Free Church is conducting an extensive survey about communication. It is very important that we share information well as a church. We want to improve how we communicate with our people – so we are asking you to tell us what you think. After hearing back from you, we will better understand what needs to improve which will help us develop ways of communicating more effectively. We have asked Jump Research, an independent research agency, to conduct this research on our behalf. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Jump Research abides by the Market Research Society Code of Conduct and GDPR. Our full privacy policy can be read here https://www.jumpresearch.co.uk/privacy-policy. • • • • •

We will not disclose any of your details We will anonymise all of our reports We will only use the information you provide, for the purpose of this research We will not pass any personal identifying data on to anyone We permanently delete personal identifying data as soon possible

You can complete this questionnaire online at http://bit.ly/1814yourvoice or by completing this paper questionnaire and sending to: Free Church of Scotland, 15 North Bank Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS Q1 What three words would you use to describe the Free Church of Scotland?

Q4 What are the main things you would like the central church to communicate to you? Please write in as many topics as you wish.

Q2 How well do you feel the central church communicates with you? 1 = not well at all 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 = extremely well Q3 How interested are you in hearing more information from the central church? 1 = not interested at all 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 = extremely interested

Q5 How well do you feel the central church communicates with the wider public? 1 = not well at all 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 = extremely well Q6 And what do you think the central church should communicate to the wider public? Please write in as many topics as you wish.

Q7 Which of these aspects of the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work do you feel are being communicated well currently? Please rate each aspect out of 10 where 1 is not well at all and 10 is extremely well. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The church locally The church internationally Church planting Church revitalisation Women for Mission Free Church Youth Camps Training & recruitment needs (including Edinburgh Theological Seminary (ETS) Financial needs Prayer needs Q8 Which of the following do you currently use to find out about the Free Church? Please select all that apply. The Record Free Church website Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Church noticeboards Church announcements/intimations Via a church group (e.g. Women for Mission, Positively Presbyterian, Youth camps etc) Another way (please explain)

Q9 What improvements could be made to the way in which the central church communicates?

Q11 In what Presbytery does the church that you regard as your home church belong? Northern Western Isles Skye & Wester Ross Inverness, Lochaber & Ross Edinburgh & Perth Glasgow & Argyll North American Unsure Q12 Your age 16-18 19-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+ Prefer not to say Q13 Your gender Male Female Prefer not to say

Q10 Which of the following best describes your connection with the Free Church of Scotland? Please select only one option. Minister Deacon Elder Church member Attend services but not a member Other (please explain)

Q14 How long have you been a member of/attending the Free Church of Scotland? Less than 1 year 2-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16 years or more Thank you for your views. Please send to: Free Church of Scotland, 15 North Bank Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2LS

WRITING FOR THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER Mark Powell from Australia has been able to write a regular column for The Spectator. Not many of us will have either the opportunity or the ability to do that — but one thing that many can do is write for our local newspapers — who are often very keen for copy. The following is an example of such in ‘the Raggie’ (The Northern Times) in Sutherland — where Rev. Duncan Macleod from Dornoch has a regular column

a ferry to Orkney. He charged two pennies for each trip so that the coin became known as the ‘groat’. But, why was his house so significant? Well, it seems his seven sons quarrelled as to which of them was the most important and their father solved this problem by building an octagonal house with eight doors, one for each of them and one for himself, and an eight sided table so that whenever they were all together no one occupied the head of the table! Jesus of course travelled a far greater distance than Julian Jackson when he came to this world from heaven to die for our sins at Calvary and he teaches us much more about the dangers of wanting to be more important than others than Jan de Groot taught his sons! He says, “he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” To prove it he took a towel and a basin of water and lovingly washed his disciples' feet. If we would be like him who was and is the greatest of all we must not lord it over others, but rather help and serve one another in love. True greatness is shown not by our wealth or power but by our willing, loving and humble service. •

any of us living in the north of scotland are used to seeing people making their way between john o' groats and lands end usually

in aid of some charity or other.

I`ve often been struck and impressed by the different ways some folk find to do the 874 miles as not content with walking, cycling or running some have actually done it walking backwards, and I`m sure I`ve heard of at least one person who chose to do the walk blindfolded though I never quite understood how anyone would deliberately choose to see nothing at all of the actual route from start to finish! For myself the thought of even doing the route by car is daunting enough let alone ever considering doing it any other way but I never cease to be amazed at and admire some who despite being themselves physically challenged complete the route and in the process achieve so many positive results. One such case is Julian Jackson who having lost his sight some years ago due to an inherited retinal disease, in April of this year embarked on what he called the Big Blind Walk from south to north finally arriving at John O` Groats on Friday 22nd June. Along the route, Julian was accompanied by friends and colleagues, members of the public, representatives from the voluntary sector, patient support groups and eye health professionals. He visited eye clinics, eye hospitals and community centres along the way, sharing experiences with patients and practitioners and promoting and raising money for eye research. He estimates he must have done two and a half million steps and says he was overwhelmed by the “generosity, humanity and kindness” shown to him and that it was a “very unforgettable experience”. The name John O` Groats has fascinated me since childhood as when I or others were annoying our parents they would often say in our native Gaelic either “I wish you were in Hiort (St Kilda)!” or “To John o` Groats house with you!” I used to wonder about this man with the strange sounding name, and even more so, why his house seemed to be so significant! Checking their local history website I eventually found out that he was a Dutchman called Jan de Groot who back in the days of James IV ran

2018

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DON’T FORGET THE UNBORN BY DR. JAMES HARDY

he issue of abortion is one of great personal

As a younger atheist or agnostic I struggled greatly with the ethics of making NHS referrals for abortion. My confusion on this matter finally began to clear when I came to work in the Western Isles. Free Church and Church of Scotland members on the Isle of Harris gradually guided me towards the truth. By degrees they outlined the Christian perspective on abortion (in their gentle and inimitable Hebridean way). Over time my eyes were opened to the horrors of abortion and the beautiful truth revealed in Christ Jesus. It is relatively easy to give in to despair when considering some of the social fads and fashions of the 21st-century UK. I want to lay out a clear challenge to the reader here. Biblical truth and the will of God on the horrors of mass abortion are clear. There are a multitude of good written resources outlining the Christian perspective in tracts and booklets. ‘Open Your Mouth for the Dumb’ by Peter Barnes (available through Banner of Truth) is a superb yet scholarly short pamphlet (I think it costs around £2). The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) have a good quality website/blog and can supply a variety of resources. Their new-look glossy double A4 newssheet is a mine of useful information. The SPUC summer 2018 newssheet has a concise summary of some key arguments against abortion, and SPUC are very willing to mail copies for distribution in churches. ‘Living Waters’, based in Newark, supply an excellent short anti-abortion tract based on a National Geographic study of intra-uterine life. A wide range of Christian resources on the internet challenge abortion practice. Abort73.com is just one such site with a mass of useful information. The Abort73.com website section on B.N. Nathanson, with quotes from his classic book Aborting America, gives an insight into the finances of the abortion industry. The cunning false arguments abortion campaigners apply, and the wider ruthless cynicism of the abortion industry, are laid bare.

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interest to me as a former gp.

OCTOBER

Nathanson oversaw sixty thousand or more abortions during his tenure as leader of a large New York clinic, yet came ultimately to know the forgiveness only Christ can offer. The B.N. Nathanson testimony is surely worth sharing around, as an example of the infinite grace and goodness of God towards people whose lives have been tainted by abortion. Nathanson oversaw sixty thousand or more abortions during his tenure as leader of a large New York clinic, yet came ultimately to know the forgiveness only Christ can offer. The gospel offers true hope and forgiveness to all victims of abortion. Perhaps it is no bad thing for clergy, health workers, elders or others to periodically draft short anti-abortion letters. Local papers, journals and websites can be used to share the pro-life message .Would you consider sending a short letter along the following lines to a weekly national paper, local newspaper, or church paper?

Please remember Northern Ireland (NI) in your prayers. In the wake of the huge ‘Yes’ vote in the Abortion Referendum result in the Republic of Ireland (RoI), Sinn Fein (and a number of other parties or politicians) will be trying to have social abortion introduced to NI. We do well to remember the sentiments of St Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:58. It is easy for Christians in Ireland to be discouraged at this time and it would be great if Free Church members and groups could pray for our campaign of resistance to abortion. Whatever the final result, in terms of legislation and the human perspective, it is good for NI churches to make some positive impact for truth in the public square. Please remember us in prayer and encourage other UK churches to do so as well. •

Dear Editor Kierkegaard famously spoke about life being lived forwards and understood backwards. In the wake of the abortion referendum result in the RoI, and pressure to follow suit in NI, this may be an opportune time to look at two famous high profile American abortion advocates who subsequently revised their thinking.

2018

Dr. James Hardy is a retired GP with an interest in evangelism and apologetics. Together with his medical degree he has an MA in Applied Theology.

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©Olga Lietunova - stock.adobe.com

There is Norma McCorvey (aka Jane Roe) of USA fame. The lady at the centre of the 1970s case which opened the floodgates to abortion on demand in the USA appears to have opposed abortion in later life. Dr B. N. (Bernard) Nathanson supervised and led a 1970s clinic where tens of thousands of terminations took place in the USA. New ultrasound radiology imaging caused him to suddenly see (quite literally) the humanity of the developing embryo. Dr Nathanson came to adopt a pro-life position in later life. The B. N. Nathanson case is of particular interest to Christians. I think Nathanson was of Jewish background but was baptised into the Roman Catholic faith in later life. His story reminds us of the immeasurable gospel grace, hope and forgiveness of God (available for all who feel their lives may have been tainted by abortion). Greater scientific understanding of early foetal life may see multitudes more people come to accept the essential humanity of the foetus. In the UK, Dr Aleck Bourne had a key role in a famous 1930s case which perhaps helped reinterpret or relax our more conservative pre-1967 case law regarding abortion. Bourne later became a founding member of SPUC. He wrote in his memoir: ‘Those who plead for an extensive relaxation of the law [against abortion] have no idea of the very many cases where a woman who, during the first three months, makes a most impassioned appeal for her pregnancy to be “finished”; later, when the baby is born, is thankful indeed that it was not killed while still an embryo. During my long years in practice I have had many a letter of the deepest gratitude for refusing to accede to an early appeal.’ George Bernard Shaw said: ‘Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.’ Minds can be changed and the stories above should inspire Christians to continue to prayerfully support the prolife position in humble expectancy. Yours Sincerely

There is an old saying among trout fishermen that ‘it is the fly on the water that catches the trout’. These words do not encourage younger anglers to ‘match the hatch’, or spend hours seeking a 100% perfect copy of natural flies that are hatching on the river or loch. Hours looking at hundreds of fly patterns in a box will not put a trout in the oven. The ‘fly on the water’ here is one that is wet in the water, is knotted to a stout cast, is enticing to the fish, and will deliver a catch. Are we actively fishing as Christians where abortion is concerned? There is not a shred of doubt in my mind that the topic of abortion sometimes proves to be a fertile soil for evangelism. To write ‘Abort73.com’ and/or ‘B.N. Nathanson’ on a piece of paper and pass it to someone might be the start of an interesting lifechanging journey for that person or their contacts. To leave this magazine open, with an ultrasound picture of the early human embryo staring out, might just prick the conscience of an NHS worker involved in abortion referral or direct termination of pregnancy. Nathanson, one of America’s leading past abortion doctors, came to Christ some years after looking at foetal imaging on ultrasound scans. Even as a senior gynaecologist, and ardent abortion activist, he simply could not deny the essential humanity of the human foetus on screen.

FREE CHURCH NEWS AYR BIBLE CONVENTION

free

church

were

encouraged

spoke on Jesus as himself our peace (Eph. 2:14). He made the point that however vital it is to see Jesus as the One who justifies his people through his own death and resurrection, it would fail to do justice to the testimony of Scripture if we were to view this as the sole aspect of his saving work. He invited us to see Jesus as the One who ransomed his people from the power of sin and who gave them a new status as members of his own family. His peace-making involved conferring on us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. On the final night Bob turned to the closely related theme of reconciliation. He illustrated the reality of reconciliation through the transformation of the persecuting Saul of Tarsus into the apostle Paul, going on to pinpoint its converse in two Hollywood actresses who were also sisters. These had a fall-out in 1975 which resulted in their not speaking to one another — a situation which persisted until the first of these sisters died in 2013. In the light of this failure to attempt reconciliation, we were reminded that all the Lord’s people have a responsibility in pursuing the work of reconciliation as set out by Paul in 2 Cor 5:20. Anyone desiring copies of the addresses should email Norman Smith at normansmith4@sky.com These can be obtained on a USB (£5) or on a CD (£1.50 per address, £5 for all four).•

this

year’s bible convention

(4-7th September) by the fellowship of many visitors from other churches in Ayrshire and further afield. On the first two nights Rev. David Campbell, an Ayrshireman currently ministering in North Preston Evangelical Church, led the congregation in a consideration of Romans 8:28 — ‘We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are the called according to his purpose.’ First, David outlined several ways in which God uses the sufferings of the present age (see Rom. 8:18) to build up rather than tear down his people. In his second address he turned to the more difficult theme of how God turns sin to their benefit. He divided this theme into three parts, the first dealing with the sin we observe in the world around us, the next the sin of which we are victims, and the final part the sin of which we are guilty. The last David described as potentially the most dangerous in that sin is always toxic and always detestable; and yet he showed through such examples as the restoration of Simon Peter that even here God can and does overrule for the humbling and ultimate benefit of his people. On the third night of the Convention Prof. Bob Akroyd

KYLE FREE CHURCH BUILDING REFURBISHMENT

treasurer, Rhoda Fraser, at 11 Sallachy, Dornie, Kyle, IV40 8DZ. You can contact her at: islandbay@btinternet. com. Many thanks. • [Rev. Roddy Rankine]

he congregation of plockton and kyle free

has a real concern for the spiritual, social and educational needs of everyone in our diverse community. At present our building does not allow us the versatility we need to serve those needs effectively. We are proposing a thorough refurbishment of the interior of the building, beginning with remedial underfloor work. Our plans are for a modern, versatile, comfortable interior, whose improved amenity will extend the range of activities and facilities we can offer and create a warm, light, open space, with full wheelchair access for community and church use. This is a big step for us as a congregation. We have around 60% of the total costs raised, but are in need of around another £26,000. If you would like to contribute to our Refurbishment Project please do so through the church

THE RECORD

OCTOBER

PORTREE & BRACADALE FREE CHURCH INDUCTION

saturday,

25th

august

2018, rev duncan murchison was ordained and inducted

as assistant minister of portree and bracadale free church.

This was a hugely significant occasion and a real landmark in the history of the congregation, and we give thanks to God for his marvellous provision. Almost two hundred gathered to observe and celebrate this noteworthy day, drawing people from the local community as well as family and friends from across Scotland. The service was held in the Parish Church, where Rev. Marcos Florit, Moderator of the Skye and Wester Ross Presbytery, preached from Numbers chapter 2. His sermon was an appropriate reminder of the mission of the church and its purpose: to glorify God as a united body. He spoke of God’s very real presence with his people, and his perfect authority and sovereignty, to which we should lovingly and obediently submit. Duncan was addressed by Rev. Gordon Matheson, who spoke on the theme of loyalty, emphasising the importance of loyalty to the congregation, loyalty to his colleague(s) and, chiefly, loyalty to Christ. His words gave very

practical advice and encouragement which will surely serve Duncan well as he begins his ministry in Portree and Bracadale. Rev. David Miller then addressed the congregation, focusing on our responsibility to our ministers and our individual service. His address was encouraging yet challenging, a reminder that God equips all of us for service, and we are each unique in our personhood, circumstances and gifting. The service was concluded with presentations as Rev. Donnie G. MacDonald presented a book and a Bible to Duncan, and Ann Gillies presented an impressive bouquet of flowers to Lydia. Following the service, a reception was held at Portree Primary School. In addition to greetings from those who were unable to attend, messages from Stirling Free Church and Partick Free Church were read out by Rev. D. G. MacDonald, who then went on to speak about Portree and Bracadale’s needs as a congregation, pointing out how Duncan’s arrival would help meet its need for help, its need for change and, above all, the community’s need for Christ. Duncan then thanked everyone, followed by a speech from his long-term friend, David Smith, who spoke excellently, with humour and sincerity. The day came to an end with emotive singing of Psalm 23. We praise God for bringing Duncan and Lydia to us and pray that Duncan’s ministry will be deeply blessed and have a real impact on the congregation and the wider community. • [Fiona MacDonald]

Rev. Duncan Murchison and his wife Lydia

ST. COLUMBA'S FREE CHURCH NEW ASSISTANT

n september, st columba’s had the wonderful joy of formally welcoming rev. thomas davis and his family into the st columba’s church family, as thomas was inducted as our new assistant minister.

The turnout for the induction and time of fellowship afterwards showed just how loved the Davises are, with some guests having come all the way from their previous congregation in Carloway to support their following of God’s call to Edinburgh. Rev. Jeremy Ross from Dunfermline Free Church led the service, preaching on 1 Corinthians 13; an incredibly fitting passage considering the obvious love the Davises have for people and the love people have for them in return. Thomas will work alongside the minster and elders of St Columba’s as a colleague, and — along with preaching and pastoring — will have a focus on overseeing discipleship, helping to develop intern programmes and leadership training. Overall it was a great evening of thankful praise, and whilst Carloway will undoubtedly be missing Thomas, Una, Tom, John, and Annie, I’m sure we are all so grateful they’ve relinquished them to us! •[Sarah Hamilton]

2018

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ORDINATION AND INDUCTION OF REV. IAIN MACRITCHIE TO PARK FREE CHURCH

n the evening of tuesday, 11th september,

amid blustering gales and intermittent showers, cars lined the roads of the sleepy village of Gravir as almost three hundred people piled into Park Free Church for the ordination and induction of Rev. Iain Macritchie. The service was taken by Rev. James Maciver (Stornoway Free Church), who preached from Nehemiah 12:43, highlighting the cause that the congregation and presbytery had for both thanksgiving and joy, and expressed the hope that the joy of Park Free Church would be ‘heard afar off’.

Likewise, the minister must have prayerfulness as his foundation for ministry, and perseverance as his roof. Rev. Calum Macdonald (Callanish; interim moderator of Park) then addressed the congregation and called them to realism with regard to their expectations of their new minister, and enthusiasm with regard to their support for him and his ministry in Park Free Church. The whole service was marked by solemnity and the felt presence of God, from the first Psalm to the final benediction. Many commented on the evident sense of positivity and hopefulness that pervaded the gathering. It was the prayer of many present that the God who has worked powerfully in this part of the island before, and is able to work likewise today, would indeed do so, giving to men and women, through His reviving Spirit, ‘the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ’.

A packed Park Free Church

Following the vows and signing of the formula, Mr Maciver led the congregation in prayer as the presbytery laid hands upon Mr Macritchie, thereby setting him apart to the pastoral ministry. Rev. Calum Iain Macleod (Back) then addressed the newly ordained minister, exhorting him to be like a good Hebridean house, having a solid foundation and a sturdy roof.

Rev. Iain Macritchie addresses the reception

The majority of the large congregation then made their way to a reception in the Cabarfeidh Hotel in Stornoway, where tea and baking were enjoyed by all. Grace was said by Rev. Kenneth M. Ferguson (Retired) and presentations were made to Rev. Iain Macritchie and his mother, as well as to Rev. Calum Macdonald and his wife Margaret. Speeches were then given by Rev. Paul Murray (Kinloch), Mr Jonathon Baxter (Divinity Student) and Mr James Gladstone (Divinity Student). The happy evening was then concluded with the singing of Psalm 72:18-19 in Gaelic by Mr Angus Murray and prayer and benediction by Rev. Iain Macritchie. • [Rev. Paul Murray]

Laying on of hands by the Presbytery

THE RECORD

OCTOBER

HOPE FOR GLASGOW

n saturday, 8th september,

Hope for Glasgow hosted a celebration and thanksgiving service for supporters at the Tron Church, Kelvingrove, Glasgow. The service was chaired and led by Hope for Glasgow chairman Rev. Norman Mackay, who over the last five years has spearheaded and developed a Free Church of Scotland church plant in Govan, Glasgow. The ‘Hope For Glasgow’ ministry offers a 24-week structured, professional and Christian drug and alcohol recovery programme for men, developed from the Tron Church. Taking his lead from the opening line of Charles Dickens’ great novel A Tale of Two Cities, he suggested that we are today living in ‘the best of times and the worst of times’. The worst of times due to the plague of substance addiction deeply rooted in Glasgow society,

yet the best of times because God was raising up ministries such as Hope for Glasgow to show and model God’s blueprint for deliverance from addiction. Of the event, Norman said, ‘The entire day was exceptional and inspirational and it was deeply moving to have one of our boys from Govan share passionately about how a Christ-centred recovery programme has helped him be free from thirty years of addiction.’ Speaking of Hope for Glasgow founder Terry McCutcheon, who recently addressed the presbytery of Glasgow and Argyll on how the ministry can partner with the local church, Norman said, ‘Terry lives and breathes this work, knows the world of addiction inside out and above all pours his life into empowering people to leave addiction behind through the expulsive power of ‘new affection’, i.e. life in Christ.’ •

COLIN L. MACLEOD INDUCTION TO GAIRLOCH... AND THE STORY SO FAR!

ev. colin l macleod was inducted as minister to

Colin was addressed by Rev. John MacLean, who pointed out how God had led Colin there. Gairloch is the place where God wants him to be, entrusting to him the congregation. There are some things that as a servant of Christ he should bear in mind: he is to lead the people by his life and his teaching; he is to love the people; he must listen, and also learn from the people. Rev. Marcos Florit addressed the congregation, directing attention to the responsibility God places in us as members of Christ’s flock: we are to acknowledge that shepherds and teachers are God’s assets given to the Church, so the Church may be better equipped for service in God’s world. After the formalities in the church building, people made their way to Gairloch Community Centre. Short speeches were made by Ian Grant and Robert Coke, elders in GKT, who expressed thankfulness to God for sending a minister to them, and presentations were made. After those who had gathered enjoyed some refreshments, Colin asked Stewart Vant (elder in the Free North) and Iver Martin (Principal of ETS and Colin’s brother-in-law) to speak. Both spoke warmly and enthusiastically about the way the Lord’s plans for his Church are never far from being surprising, and always centre on his glory and praise. Colin brought the evening to a close with a few words regarding his hope for his ministry: that it would make Jesus known through preaching the Gospel and living the Gospel in the community. The evening was brought to a close with praise and prayer, thanking the Lord for his grace and goodness, and asking him to bring blessing to the church. • [Rev. Marcos Florit]

gairloch, kinlochewe and torridon free church over

the summer period. We thank God for his provision, not forgetting the generosity of Inverness, Lochaber and Ross Presbytery, which is at this time the presbytery with the largest number of vacant congregations. A good number gathered to celebrate this day, including family and others from across Scotland. The local community, of course, was also well represented. The service, held in Gairloch Free Church, was led by Rev. Neil Lachlan ‘Lachie’ MacDonald. He preached from John 12:21, ‘Sir, we would like to see Jesus.’ He highlighted how Jesus Christ, the King, was presented, pursued and proclaimed, and how this serves as direction for the task to be fulfilled as a congregation of Christ’s Church — a task in which the whole congregation must be engaged.

Rev. Colin L. MacLeod and his wife Jessie

2018

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Since arriving in the Gairloch, Kinlochewe & Torridon congregation Colin has set about reorganising Bible studies and prayer meetings whilst attempting to find the best local strategy to share the Gospel with a broadly scattered community. Here he shares the progress so far…

e’ve

changed

the

midweek

meeting

community within the congregation by opening our home every Sunday evening after the service, and we have plans to hold a congregational lunch on the first Sunday of every month, the only Sunday when the congregation of GKT comes together. The congregation is spread geographically fairly widely; Kinlochewe is twenty miles away and Torridon is thirty miles away, with some folk living even further afield than that! I preach in each of these places every alternate Sunday at 2.30pm as well as the 11am and 5pm services in Gairloch. Please do pray for strength and for safety and continuing zeal for each of these services. Pray for wisdom to know how to develop the church witness in Torridon, which is a very scattered community. Pray for a growing sense of unity and love amongst us, and for a willingness and ability to serve the Lord on our front line as well as on a Sunday! Ask the Lord to be in all the plans we have, that they will be of him and not the flesh. Give thanks to God for a sense of his presence and pray for protection from the world, flesh and the devil, which can so easily spoil and sow weeds amongst us. • [Rev. Colin L. MacLeod]

to an interactive Bible study with the meeting on the first Wednesday of every month devoted to prayer and praise exclusively. In Kinlochewe we’ve begun a Bible study every other Tuesday evening in addition to a prayer meeting every other Tuesday morning. We are in the process of arranging the distribution of NLT Bibles to every household in Gairloch with a view to doing the same in Kinlochewe and then in Torridon. The plan is to use this as a means of discovering what the community wants from the church as well as giving a Bible, so we’re calling this venture ‘Discovery and Distribution’. Joint work and witness in Gairloch and Aultbea with the Church of Scotland has been a growing reality over the years, and so we are building on that, establishing Gospel relationships with tangible expressions in the community such as joint communion services, mission meetings, a Remembrance Sunday service, and involvement in chaplaincy work in the local schools. There is an interdenominational ladies’ Bible study, which my wife Jessie is involved in. We are also trying to grow the sense of fellowship and gairloch

2018 ISLANDS STUDY CONFERENCE

The Mission Focus on the Sunday afternoon was centred around the provision and support of children’s camps in Nispireni, Moldova. The address was given by Mrs Anne Macaulay from Back, who held our attention, giving us an insight into the practicalities which make the camps the great success they have proved to be in sending the good news of the Gospel. The Islands Study Conference still exists to bless and encourage all those who, with great expectations, gather in the name of Jesus. We sincerely pray for its continuance in God’s providence. At the close of the conference it was announced that next year’s conference will take place from 8th-10th February (note the earlier date). One confirmed speaker is Rev. Roger Simpson (Archbishop of York’s Evangelist for the Northern Province and Associate Minister at St. Michael le Belfrey Church, York). Recordings of this year’s conference are available on CD. Sets including the four lectures and two sermons are priced £10. They can be purchased by emailing: islandsstudyconference@mail.com •

n 20th april 2018 the islands study conference

at their well-loved venue in the Harris Hotel, Tarbert, Isle of Harris. This year the speakers were Rev. Dr Malcolm Maclean from Greyfriars Free Church, Inverness, who took for his study ‘The Trinity in the Christian Life’, and Rev. Calum Iain MacLeod from Back Free Church, Isle of Lewis, whose address to the audience was ‘Living the Christian Life in a 21st-Century World’. It was a weekend of true Christian fellowship and, in the teaching, one was aware of an almost tangible sense of the Holy Spirit’s presence warming our hearts to the realities of our existence in God. Although slightly lower in number this year, the conference drew friends from many parts, as well as those who joined for fellowship from the local congregations of Scalpay and Leverburgh. The Sunday services were hosted by Rev. David Macleod with his congregation at North Harris Free Church, which, for some, was another new experience, worshipping in a converted inn. Both speakers took the services, expanding further on their chosen subjects. assembled

THE RECORD

OCTOBER

LÉGION D'HONNEUR AWARD FOR IAN MACLENNAN

r ian maclennan, the senior elder in kiltearn

the Siegfried Line to reach the Rhine, overcoming strong counter attacks to enter Germany and capture Mehr on 24th March 1945, advancing across the Elbe. After the German surrender the Battalion occupied Keil. Ian was born in July 1924 in Coigach, Achiltibuie and baptised in the Free Church there. It was a 6 mile walk or cycle to the Coigach church from their home. During the war Church services were held in the open air for soldiers, like Ian, who wanted to attend. After leaving the army, he attended Fortrose Free Church, supplied then by Rev. Duncan Leitch of Dingwall. From 1948, Ian attended Kiltearn Free Church. In 1987 he professed his faith. Two years later he was ordained as a Deacon, becoming an elder in 1994. Ian served with another elder, the late Alex Campbell, another veteran of the War with whom he had a close friendship. In his address awarding Ian his medal Monsieur Cocher said: “The Second World War is historic not because it was a long time ago but because it gave us everything we have today. It returned sovereignty to France and the rights we live under. It also gave us the UN, Nato, the EU. So thank you, Mr MacLennan, for what you did.” The Free Church congratulated Ian for this great honour and wishes him and his family all God’s blessings. • [Rev. Angus MacRae]

free church, evanton, received the insignia

of chevalier de la legion d’honneur from the French Consul General Mr Emmanual Cocher at a ceremony held at the Town House in Inverness on 14th August presided over by Depute Provost Graham Ross. The 94-year-old was accompanied by his wife Ella, 93, and their children Helen, Kenneth, Isobel and son-in-law George. Mr MacLennan was called up in 1942 and did his basic training at Fort George before serving in the Army with the 7th Battalion The Seaforth Highlanders. He took part in the liberation of France landing at Sword Beach during the Allied landings at Normandy in June 1944. He served with his regiment until 1947. He revisited Normandy for the first time in 74 years this May. Ian is a humble man and was at first reluctant to apply for the medal. His wartime record fully deserves the honour bestowed by the French Republic, for he fought his way through Normandy, northern France, Belgium and Holland before crossing into Germany. Ian said, “The worst fighting was around Caen and when we made it to Germany.” The 7th Seaforths suffered 300 casualties capturing the crossings over the River Odon and clearing Eterville Ridge to liberate Caen. The battalion saw fierce fighting at Caumont and Lassy, crossing the Seine at Rouen. In 1945 they fought through

2018

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HOPE CHURCH COATBRIDGE

recently ordained two new elders: Jim Colquhoun and William Johnstone, and one deacon: Graham Russell, and inducted David Robertson as deacon (previously been ordained as deacon in another church). We also marked Iain Macleod’s 25 years of service as an elder with the presentation of a framed picture and a cake. All in all it was an encouraging day for the congregation which continues to be in good heart. The photo of the new office bearers runs Graham Russell, Jim Colquhoun, William Johnstone, David Robertson. The larger group is (back row) Cameron MacIver, Iain Macleod, Rowan Robertson (elders) Ivor MacDonald David Robertson, William Johnstone (front row) Jim Colquohoun, Graham Russell and Jim Neilson (deacon emeritus) • ope church coatbridge

TESTIMONY PAGE: ROBERT MCGIVERN

y family roots are in govan, and like lots of young

Speaking of Robert’s testimony, Norman, who leads the church planting work in Govan, said, ‘As a fellowship, we are working hard at creating a community within which addiction, trauma and chaos, as well as anti-social attitudes, are all turned around. Robert’s life was defined by all these things, but no longer. It is great having him as part of the team down here in Govan, and like all the others who make up our fellowship, he is just like family.’ •

men in Glasgow housing schemes, I got a real buzz from gang culture and substance abuse. It is probably true to say that I shouldn’t be alive today, as I overdosed many times and sustained life-threatening stab wounds on multiple occasions. Strangely enough, prison was not always a bad place for me to be since it brought structure into my life. As I attended lots of recovery groups in Glasgow, I heard about the Free Church work in Govan. There is a lot of respect for what is happening through this fellowship, and right away I felt as if I had come home. Gradually it dawned on me that addiction is more a matter of the heart than it is an illness and that Christ fulfils and replaces those old cravings with new desires. Simply stopping drug use is good, but mere abstinence doesn’t touch on the deeper issues of why we take drugs or the role that sinful habits and choices play in addiction. Up until six months ago, I had been addicted to street and prescription drugs, as well as alcohol, for a period of thirty years. Now I am free and am working hard at building new godly habits into my daily routine. Given the epidemic of drug abuse in our scheme, I see that my own background actually helps a wee bit in getting alongside others who are as enslaved to using as I was. Govan Free Church is like family to me and is a community I have come to love and that God is working through.

THE RECORD

OCTOBER

PRAYER DIARY SEPT/OCT 2018 His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His rule will never end Daniel Mon 15 Pray for the students and all the staff in the Edinburgh Theological Seminary as they have their mid-semester break this week. th

Tues 16th Praise God for the links between Christians in Scotland and Cheptebo in Kenya. Give thanks for the teams that have gone out to help in practical ways as well as Rev. Alistair Macleod teaching at a pastors’ conference. Wed 17th The economic turmoil in Turkey has been in the news recently. Rising prices caused by the weakened currency are making life more difficult for ordinary people, including our brothers and sisters in Christ there. Pray that the Lord would provide for them day by day, and also for wisdom for leaders in Turkey as they try to deal with these issues. Thurs 18th A delegation from the Free Church is in Krakow, Poland, from 3 October to 1 November for the Redeemer Church City to City Conference with Tim Keller. Pray that the team will gain good insights and that they will also be able to connect with Krakow church planter Saško Nezamutdinov. Fri 19th David Meredith, Mission Director, is the speaker at the Strathclyde University CU weekend away at Moffat (19-21 October). He will be doing 3 talks on mission. Pray that God will touch these young lives and give them a passion for mission. Sat 20th Pray for the distribution of the New Testament in Burkina Faso to those who desperately want to read in their own language. Pray for those who are involved in translating the Old Testament. Sun 21st Tonight is the final outreach lecture in Badenoch Free Church by Rev. Clive Every-Clayton on the theme ‘Can the Truth of Christianity be Proved?’ Pray that the congregation will be strengthened as a result. Mon 22nd Remember Rev. Iain Macritchie, who was inducted into Park Free Church (Gravir, Isle of Lewis) last month. Ask the Lord to prosper that ministry and congregation, to keep them safe and to glorify himself through them. Tues 23rd Pray for Rev. Stephen Allison and family as they begin their ministry in Kiltarlity, that they and the congregation will work well together to build up the family of God in their community.

6:26 (New Living Translation)

Wed 24 Pray for Rev. Harrison Perkins, who is due to begin work as Ministry Assistant at London City Presbyterian Church. Ask that he would work in unity with Rev. Andy Pearson and that the church will be a shining light in our capital. th

Thurs 25th The Edinburgh & Perth Presbytery Conference takes place today, with David Gibson of Trinity Church, Aberdeen, speaking. Pray for him and for all who attend to leave with a greater love of the Lord. Fri 26th Ask God to strengthen his church to be a beacon of hospitality to the poor. Pray with Tearfund, asking God for an end to extreme poverty. Sat 27th Pray that the Department for International Development Leaders will be guided by the pursuit of justice and equality for the world’s poorest as they make decisions about where to direct the UK’s aid budget. Sun 28th The congregation in Mull and Coll is in a very rural and isolated situation. Pray for them and Rev. James Beaton, their interim moderator. Mon 29th Pray for protection for people fleeing the fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Give thanks that, because of international support, Uganda is willing to accept so many refugees. Tues 30th Give thanks that Timmy Currie has been commissioned as youth and school worker for COOL. Pray for him as settles into the work. Wed 31st This Halloween, pray for the forces of evil and darkness in the world to be defeated. Give thanks that Christ has the victory over death and all the devil’s power. Thurs 1st The Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet today. Pray for them as they deal with the business on their agenda. Fr 2nd Pray for Rev. Thomas Davis and his family as they settle into life and work in Edinburgh. Sat 3rd Remember the now vacant congregation in Carloway. Pray that they will support each other in this next phase of their fellowship. Sun 4th Pray for the congregation of Fort William and Kilmonivaig and their interim moderator, Rev. Gordon Martin. Fort William is a busy town and it would be good to have a settled ministry there.

Mon 5th Remember Kirkcaldy Free Church and pray that new, passionate people will come along to help support the church and work alongside the faithful members and minister there. Tues 6th Today the midterm elections will be held in the USA. Pray for the nation’s unity and for the Lord’s will to be done in the results. Wed 7th Today there is a Training Day for non-ordained workers. Pray this will be well attended and those who go will benefit and be able to work more effectively in congregations as a result. Thurs 8th Remember everyone who looks after vulnerable children and adults who have a disability, a serious medical condition or need care at home, in hospital or in other places. Fri 9th Pray for the safety of people whose jobs involve a great deal of driving. Ask God to watch over them and for help to come quickly to anyone caught up in an accident. Sat 10th St Andrews would value prayer for their new ministry trainees David, Caelan and Sarah, for growth in Christlikeness, and for the Lord to fan into flames the gifts that he has given them in teaching his Word to others in their various contexts. Sun 11th Pray for the Glen Urquhart & Fort Augustus congregation and Rev. Alex Stewart, their interim moderator, as they witness in their community. Mon 12th Give thanks for the gifts and witness of the Australian minister Rev. David Powell, who has been publishing many articles in The Spectator Australia. Ask yourself whether you can answer his challenge to lay your time before God for his service. Tues 13th The Asian Outreach oversight committee meets in Glasgow tonight. Pray for Duncan and especially for the circulation of The Holy Injil: Luke, which has been well received. Wed 14th Following Iain Murchison’s article about teaching in Mozambique, pray for that nation with its children lacking care and education in early childhood. Pray that many souls may be won for Christ through Christian education initiatives. Thurs 15th Pray for the congregation of Plockton & Kyle as their building is in need of extensive renovation. Give thanks for their desire to be used by the Lord in their community, and ask God to provide for and use this congregation. Can you help them?

Prayer requests to: ian.macdonald57@btinternet.com. Please take time to send requests for your congregation or ministry to be included in forthcoming Records. These prayer notes are prepared 5 weeks in advance of publication.

2018

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By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. Psalm 33:6

BY DR ANTONY LATHAM

THE RECORD

OCTOBER

When the Big Bang theory was first proposed, based on many observations of the universe, it was considered too much like a creation event.

conclude a beginning, indeed a first cause. This is the cosmological argument for a creator, put forward by the ancient Greek philosophers. The cosmological argument for God is a very strong one. The only way to avoid it is to say that the universe has an infinite past, and that, as we shall see, is not possible.

ne of the most important doctrines of the church is ‘ creatio ex nihilo ’ ;

this means that we believe God created the universe out of nothing. Genesis 1:1 is the key text: ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’ According to this doctrine, all that is physical has been created by God from nothing and this creation was something that happened in a particular time in the past. How does modern science and philosophy deal with this? Surely as Christians we should be prepared to discuss this subject knowledgably and reasonably with the unbeliever or doubter. It is fundamental to our witnessing that we can answer the questions put to us in an informed and respectful way. The problem is that we live in a world where talk of a Creator is considered outdated and without any reasonable basis. Christians often feel lacking in the knowledge and skill needed to debate this — particularly with scientists. I hope in this brief article to show that we have plenty of excellent reasons to point anyone to a thoroughly biblical view of God as the Creator of the universe.

THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF AN INFINITE PAST Some will indeed argue that the past is infinite and that this does away with the need to talk of an absolute beginning. Perhaps there was a series of big bangs and even an infinite number of them. The problem with this is the impossibility of an infinite series mathematically. If we are to talk of an infinite series of causes going back eternally, with no beginning, then we are on slippery ground. It is not possible to traverse an infinite series. Imagine being back an infinite time ago — it would be impossible for the universe to reach the present. This is the same as imagining a space craft trying to reach a star which is an infinite distance away; it would never reach it even if it could go at near the speed of light. A timeline of an infinite series of events or causes is not possible. There simply had to be a beginning.

WHY IS THERE SOMETHING RATHER THAN NOTHING? This simple question is a good starter. We take for granted that the universe exists. But why should it exist? Why is there anything at all? The fact that there are galaxies, stars, planets, the earth, atoms and all the forces of nature is not something to be simply accepted as inevitable. The brute fact that things exist should lead us to ask why! The atheist has no answer to this. This simple question needs to be pressed and not dismissed. All that we know about the universe makes us expect a cause or reason for any part of it or indeed the whole of it.

THE BIG BANG CONTROVERSY We cannot avoid discussing the question of the Big Bang theory of how the universe began. All hangs on our interpretation of the six days of creation in Genesis chapter one. Proper discussion of this requires another article; suffice it to say that we should not rule out those days being periods of time (as the Hebrew allows). It is certainly possible to hold with integrity the highest possible view of scripture and at the same time believe in a very old universe, which could have had a beginning such as the Big Bang. To rule this out of court is, in my opinion, both dangerous in our witnessing and unnecessary. When the Big Bang theory was first proposed, based on many observations of the universe, it was considered too much like a creation event. Atheist scientists tried hard to resist it because of this. Anything you read from cosmologists about the Big Bang leaves one in absolute awe at the immense power and magnificence of that event, and the current prevailing scientific view is that it began from nothing — yes, nothing. >>

THERE HAD TO BE A BEGINNING If we look at any physical object, then we can assume that a series of causes placed it there. A rock on the seashore beside our house on the Isle of Harris has a history. If we went back in time, and we knew all the facts, we could list a series of events, right back to the formation of the earth. The same can be said of the universe as a whole; there had to be a series of events or causes, and this leads us to

2018

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<< The late Stephen Hawking, the most famous scientist of our times, believed it began from nothing, but he then tried to involve gravitational forces to somehow make it happen, rather than any creator. He never explained where the gravitational forces came from and his argument for a universe somehow popping into existence from nothing, on its own without a creator, falls down completely.

Q had to be very close to 0.00001 in order for any galaxies to form. If Q had been minutely different we would not be here, let alone the earth and our solar system. We could list many other aspects of fine-tuning. The only way out of concluding that there is a mind behind all this precision is to assume that there are multiple universes and ours is just one that struck lucky somehow. There is absolutely no evidence for multiple universes and the atheist only brings out this argument because of an atheist worldview, rather than because of science. The doubter will often accuse us of merely attempting to fill in gaps of scientific knowledge with God, as if our position is one of ignorance. On the contrary, the Christian position is based on our increasing scientific knowledge of how the universe works. John Lennox, Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy of Science at the University of Oxford, has written much in support of the design arguments from fine-tuning. He says concerning these arguments: ‘We should note that the preceding arguments are not “God of the gaps” arguments; it is advance in science, not ignorance of science, that has revealed this fine-tuning to us. In that sense there is no “gap” in the science. The question is rather: how should we interpret the science? In what direction is it pointing?’ His conclusion is that science overwhelmingly provides evidence for a Creator of the universe. As we consider the universe in its vastness and beauty, we can turn in awe to our Saviour and worship him afresh. ‘All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made.’ Let us be encouraged to hold our nerve and speak the truth. •

THE FINE-TUNING OF THE UNIVERSE The fine-tuning of the universe to allow for galaxies, stars, planets, the earth and life itself is not just some creationist make-believe. The exquisite way in which the universe is set up so precisely is a very powerful argument for the fine-tuner, God. It is acknowledged by cosmologists that the conditions at the beginning had to be very precise to even allow for any galaxies to form. There are many examples and here are just a few. The expansion energy of the universe was counteracted by the gravitation force pulling it all back. This had to be very finely balanced. It has been acknowledged by physicists that this expansion energy had to differ from the opposing gravitational energy by less than one part in 10 15 (a million billion). Any variation from this would have resulted in either an expansion with no galaxies or a premature ‘big crunch’ as the universe contracted back. The universe at the beginning had to have a slight unevenness or non-uniformity. If the matter and energy had been completely smooth or uniform then there would never have been any aggregation of matter into galaxies, and if the universe had been more uneven, everything would have collapsed into black holes. The unevenness is expressed by cosmologists by the letter Q, which is the energy difference between the peaks and troughs in the density, expressed as a fraction of the total energy of the initial universe. Computer models show that 1 2 3

Dr. Antony Latham is a GP based on the Isle of Harris. He is the writer of a number of books including The Naked Emporer: Darwinism Exposed and The Enigma of Consciousness — Reclaiming the Soul

Hawking, Stephen & Mlodinow, Leonard. 2011. The Grand Design. Bantam See YouTube video with John Lennox. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewbbz7cuHdw Rees, Martin. 2002. Our Cosmic Habitat. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. Martin Rees is the astronomer royal and the details of finetuning given are from his writings. Lennox, John. 2007. God’s Undertaker. Has Science Buried God? Lion Hudson.

THE RECORD

OCTOBER

©mdmediendesign - stock.adobe.com

The doubter will often accuse us of merely attempting to fill in gaps of scientific knowledge with God, as if our position is one of ignorance.

The brute fact that things exist should lead us to ask why!

2018

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ETS

NEWS BY REV. THOMAS DAVIS

ETS OPENING SERVICE

n monday, 3rd september, the new academic

with the ETS Opening Service, held at St Columba’s Free Church, Edinburgh. This was an opportunity for new and returning students to gather with friends and family for a time of worship and fellowship together. The service was led by Principal Iver Martin, who welcomed the students and spoke of the sense of anticipation and excitement that comes with a new session beginning. The main address was given by Dr Alistair Wilson, lecturer in Mission and New Testament at the Seminary. Dr Wilson spoke about the role of the Holy Spirit in mission and highlighted that the Spirit Himself lies at the heart of all mission activities. It was encouraging to be reminded of the Spirit’s power and involvement with his people in the work of mission. After the service there was a time of tea and fellowship together as new students met for the first time and returning students caught up with friends after the summer break. • session began

Dr Alistair Wilson addressing the ETS Opening Service

PRINCIPAL IVER MARTIN VISITS SOUTH KOREA

n august , ets principal iver martin spent six days

exhausting! I delivered thirteen addresses in four days, so it was very busy, but it was wonderful to meet many old and new friends and to continue to build up our close bonds with our brothers and sisters in Korea.’ •

in korea ,

preaching at two Presbyterian churches in Seoul and addressing the Korean Institute for Reformed Preaching. This is a biannual conference attended by around seventy pastors, students and other Christians. Iver was given the subject of ‘Preaching through John’s Gospel’. Originally he had been asked to give five addresses, but that number was extended to eight, due to the enormity of the subject matter. Alongside these conference addresses, Iver also preached over three evenings during the conference. Over the six days in Korea he was given a typically warm welcome by dear friends, some of whom studied at one time at ETS, which was then the Free Church College. Iver was hosted by Dr Changwon Shu, a former ETS student who has continued to love Scotland and the Free Church since studying here in the 1980s. Speaking of his trip, Iver commented, ‘It was a great privilege to be asked to this conference, although thoroughly

THE RECORD

OCTOBER

LECTURES BEGIN AGAIN

and finally, ‘Theology in Thimbles: Core Teachings in the Christian Faith’, delivered by ETS graduate Nick Mackison. The Access to Theology Course also commenced in September. This is a 48-hour course that introduces students to the core study areas of a theological degree. The areas of study are Old Testament (10 hours), New Testament (10 hours), Systematic Theology (12 hours), Church History (8 hours) and Practical Theology (8 hours). The course can be studied either on campus or via distance learning and can serve as a follow-up to the Saturday Course, as a precursor to the BTh degree, or simply as a stand-alone course for anyone interested in studying theology. Information on all of these courses is available on the ETS website: ets.ac.uk •

eptember marks the beginning of lots of lectures at ets!

The BTh programme is now underway, and we have been delighted to see another large intake of new students, both full- and part-time. For new students, the first few weeks can be very busy as they get used to new surroundings and all the practicalities of theological study. But it is not just the degree programmes that started in September; the Saturday Course and the Access to Theology Course are also getting underway. For the Saturday Course, as usual there are three key topics covered in the lectures. This year the themes and lecturers are: ‘Introducing Isaiah and His Message’, which will be delivered by ETS Old Testament lecturer Will Traub, ‘Mission Today: Learning from the Past, Looking to the Future’, taken by Dr Alistair Wilson,

NEW MINISTRIES FOR ETS GRADUATES

ver the summer, a number of ets graduates

Duncan will be serving alongside Rev. Donnie G MacDonald in a congregation which has grown steadily over recent years and which is working towards moving into a new purpose-built church building. At the end of August, Rev. Stephen Allison accepted a call to become the new pastor of Kiltarlity Free Church. A former solicitor, Stephen, his wife Tizzy and their daughter Emily are moving to Kiltarlity in September to continue to work of discipleship and evangelism that has seen the congregation grow in recent years. •

have been able to begin new ministries.

In July, Rev. Iain Macritchie accepted a call to the congregation of Pairc in Gravir on the Isle of Lewis. This congregation covers a wide geographical area in rural (and very scenic!) Lewis, where there is great potential for the church to build up its involvement in the local school and wider community. In Skye, Rev. Duncan Murchison has been inducted as the new Assistant Minister of Portree Free Church.

NEW MISSIOLOGY COURSE STARTS

he 2018/19 academic session marked the launch

the Master of Theology in Missiology. This is a taught postgraduate programme that will allow students to research key topics in the study of mission. The course will look at various aspects of missiology, including Bible, Theology and Mission, History and Mission, Current Issues in Mission and Mission into the Twenty-First Century. This course is being offered as part of the new Centre for Mission which is being developed at ETS. As well as postgraduate study opportunities, the Centre for Mission will also offer training programmes for local churches and for those actively involved in mission work both in the UK and abroad. •

2018

of a new course at ets:

The new MTh in Missiology begins at the ETS Centre for Mission

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he late, great christopher hitchins in his last

b) Meaninglessness and Futility – vv.18-21. If there is no God, then we are just like the animals. We die and that is it. We return to dust and dust we remain. There is nothing. We are just ‘naked apes’. Think of our society’s obsession with the body. Nip and Tuck. Body Building. Botox. You could have the most beautiful body, but it will still end up as dust, just as much as the overweight slob whose only exercise is to open the fridge door or take the short walk from the car door into McDonalds! What is the point? We might as well eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we will die. What is the point of living just for your material possessions or your wealth? Listen to what the Bible says: we brought nothing into this world and we will take nothing out of it. Others live for their families — as long as we’ve got our families around us that’s all that matters. Really? If they are just dust and just returning to dust, they are of no more lasting significance than the pile of dirt in our garden. c) Live for today – v.22. You can read this along the lines of ‘there is no point — we are all going to die anyway’. We do not know what will happen so we might as well just get on with our day-to-day work! But God has set eternity in the hearts of men. There must be more. There is more. Go over these verses again, this time from the perspective of God.

I have ever seen: ‘I don’t have a body, I am a body.’ If that were true, then there’s company in Arizona who believe cryonics might be worth checking out. They freeze human bodies at minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit in the hope that someday in the future they can unfreeze you and bring you back to life. Your head will cost you £42,000, your whole body £80,000. But maybe we are more than just a body? Solomon has been reflecting on life ‘under the sun’. Last month we looked at the problem of happiness and the burden of eternity. In this month’s reading he makes further observations about human society and the death of our bodies. Lets consider these verses from two perspectives. book made one of the saddest statements

1) LIFE AND DEATH WITHOUT GOD a) Injustice – vv.16-17. The child cries, ‘That’s not fair.’ The adult far too often shrugs their shoulder and agrees, ‘Unfair things happen.’ Where you expect to see justice there is injustice. Solomon probably has in mind some injustices he has seen. He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. He told them, ‘Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for man but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. Now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery’ (2 Chronicles 19:5-7, NIV).

2)LIFE AND DEATH WITH GOD a) Justice — The Teacher has an awareness that there will be a day of judgement. For him, like many of the OT writers, this is a day of hope. This

THE

GOSPEL FOR TODAY’S SOCIETY ECCLESIASTES 3:16-22 THE RECORD

OCTOBER

is vital. Why are things so unfair? God will sort it all out and bring it to judgement. Why does he not do so now? ‘The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance’ (2 Peter 3:9, NIV). b) Meaning and Hope — There is a difference between men and animals. The spirit of man goes up; the spirits of animals go into the ground. We had a goldfish called Speedy, due to the speed at which she swam round the goldfish bowl. One day she lived up to her name and swam so fast she landed outside it and died. We threw Speedy in the bin. You do not bury your Gran as though she were a goldfish. Have you ever stood beside the body of a loved one? It is not them. It is a body. They have gone. The ‘them’, the thing that is them, the spirit is gone. But where? If you believe we are just like the animals, then it has gone forever. It is as though they never existed, and you will certainly never see them again. To go down to the earth is a euphemism for ‘ceasing to be effective’. But that is not the case — the spirit of man goes up. ‘But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding’ (Job 32:8, NIV). The spirit in the Bible is the life of God in man. It is the principle of human thought, moral energy, intelligence, understanding. ‘I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit enquired…’ (Psalm 77:6, NIV). There is something inside you – in fact it is you. It is what you are. Without it you are dead and gone.

Without your hand, you are still you. Without your spirit, there is no you. James 2:26 tells us that ‘the body without the spirit is dead’. But there is spirit (the word is ‘breath’, signifying that it is the breath of God). You have a spirit. And because of that, you are more than just a naked ape. You are more than flesh and blood. You are more than your family, your work, your gifts. Because of that, you matter. G.K. Chesterton said, ‘All men matter. You matter. I matter. It’s the hardest thing in theology to believe.’ c) Live for today and tomorrow — If there is a God who is sovereign, who knows our times; if he has a purpose even in allowing human injustices; then the attitude of the wise should be joy and confidence as we live our lives here on earth — responsibly knowing that there is a judgement to come. We live our lives here in that light, not knowing what is to come, what will happen on earth after we leave. But we know that there is a purpose and meaning. It also means that we should prepare for what is to come. The Bible does not tell us that we all die and go to heaven. There is a judgement – and in that judgement we get what we want. Those who want eternal life, those who want to be with God, will go there. Those who do not will go to hell. The choice we make is in this life, in time. What will you choose? Why not pray simply, Lord, I want to live? Don’t put your trust in an American cryonics company being able to resurrect your body at some time in the distant future. Instead trust the one who will resurrect and renew both body and soul. Without cost. Choose life! •

THE

NAKED APE AND

ETERNAL

LIFE 2018

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40TH ANNIVERSARY OF DUMISANI: VOICES OF THANKSGIVING, 1979-2019 BY J.C. WHYTOCK

n a few weeks, dumisani theological institute &

repairs to the exterior walls, and painting in the new campus colour (to continue our theme of creating a unified campus). The plan also includes a new student kitchen and male and female toilet rooms. A new welllit car park will be situated beside the two lecture halls and will provide more secure parking for our evening classes in particular. Finally, a new self-contained apartment will be built inside the compound for the college receptionist. This apartment will have its own entrance and will provide better security than the current arrangement. The hope is that, with this major campus renewal and a detailed maintenance plan, the campus needs will be met for many years to come.

bible school in the eastern cape, south africa,

will begin to celebrate its fortieth anniversary. Plans are underway to mark this special milestone. Two commemorative works are being printed. One is a fortieth anniversary calendar for 2019, which will be used throughout South Africa and distributed by the students. The second is a book entitled Voices of Thanksgiving, which will be launched on 2 March at the graduation. In addition, a major campus redevelopment project is underway, as are plans for the degree-level course come 2019.

VOICES OF THANKSGIVING The book Voices of Thanksgiving will provide a contextual (within the worldwide Bible School movement) history of Dumisani. Dumisani has passed through many of the typical phases of a Bible school and the book will endeavour to explain these stages of development. It will also provide stories of thanksgiving from various ‘voices’ – past and present – and will then conclude with plans for the development of the campus in an effort to prepare for the needs of Dumisani for the next ten years. Voices of Thanksgiving will be promoted to all partner churches and businesses throughout South Africa and will also be distributed to our overseas partners and donors. This coffee-table style book with plenty of photos is being typeset in a landscape style.

B.TH. PLANNING 2019 The heart of Dumisani is certificate and diploma-level training, yet for the past twenty-two years the college has also been involved with B.Th. level facilitation. Major changes have been taking place in higher education in South Africa, and next year the current arrangement comes to an end. A new arrangement will be introduced once all planning has been finalised. This will be part of the Dumisani story post-forty years, and we give thanks that the work of the Lord carries on generation to generation. We are thankful to the founding partners in the four denominations that gave birth to Dumisani. The story is ongoing and so the baton is passed from generation to generation. It is interesting that there are two definitions for the word ‘generation’, one being forty years. As this first generation concludes and the second begins under new leadership, let us give thanks to the Lord and pray that many more will be taught and trained as Christian leaders in the Eastern Cape. •

Rev. Choi, Rev. Chipenyu, Dr. Diniso

CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT Rather than relocate or build a new campus, the board has decided to redevelop the existing campus. This redevelopment includes expanding our dorm space so that eventually we can accommodate up to ten male students on campus. Next, we are upgrading our classroom space by creating a second lecture hall that can seat up to thirty. This is in addition to our main lecture hall, which recently underwent an exterior renewal with the addition of fascia boards,

THE RECORD

Students at Dumisani

OCTOBER

SIX MONTHS IN BEIRA, MOZAMBIQUE Women for Mission’s SUPPORT A VOLUNTEER FUND gives small grants to members of the Free Church of Scotland to help cover the cost of volunteering for short-term mission work overseas. on his return from Beira in Mozambique, IAIN MURCHISON from the Glenurquhart & Fort Augustus congregation submitted the following report.

o start with,

We were also kept busy helping at homework clubs, redecorating a small local school, assisting in a Christmas play and running English classes for teens and adults. We spent a lot of our free time exploring the city, although mainly the ten-mile beach. Seeing God’s beautiful creation on the other side of the world was a real highlight, with a trip to Victoria Falls as the cherry on the cake. Whilst in Mozambique we decided to worship at our local Baptist church, who welcomed us as brothers and sisters with open arms. The sense of community and fellowship within the church was so strong and it was a humbling experience to worship them. Although we shared almost nothing in common with the congregation (language, culture, upbringing...), yet each Sunday we would gather together as one body to worship and praise the same heavenly Father. Both worship and praise feature heavily on a Sunday morning, mainly in the form of rich singing and exuberant dance. It was only when I was dancing up the aisle to lead worship from the front of the church with the women’s Bible study that I realised how far away I was from the Sing Psalms and wooden pews that I’d always known. I am so grateful for the time I spent in Mozambique. I will never forget the friendships made and the memories created. Above all, however, I am thankful for the way God worked through me to help others but to also teach me so much about him, his people and to remind me that he is the Father of all nations and that we are part of something so much bigger than we can imagine or perceive. •

would like to thank the wfm

for their very generous donation towards the six months that I spent in Beira as part of the Baptist Missionary Society’s Action Team programme, which is an annual gap year initiative for 17-23 year olds. The work of the team I was part of focused primarily on education. This involved us getting stuck in to a number of projects, one of which was the PEPE initiative. PEPE is a pre-school programme which is supported by and run in several Baptist churches in the city we lived in. Pre-school education is almost non-existent in Mozambique, with most 3-5 yearolds left to their own devices all day as their families work. This results in the majority of children starting school with little or no Portuguese, which is the official language of Mozambique. In a country where 100 children in a class is the norm, those who don’t speak Portuguese are quickly left behind. PEPE aims to equip young children with basic Portuguese as well as other useful knowledge such as shapes and numbers etc. Alongside this the children are also taught Bible stories and songs. As PEPE is the only pre-school programme in the city, many un-churched families send their children each day, so the net of this outreach spreads far and it is impossible to place a value on the learning of scripture at a young age. I loved working with the PEPE programme, and over the six months I created some really strong friendships with those in my classes. The two churches we worked in were in a very deprived area of the city, but that did nothing to affect the joy and laughter we would all share in the very early mornings. Learning Portuguese was a real struggle that I tried to avoid as much as I could when in Mozambique, so I cherished my time in the pre-schools where my Portuguese was at about the same standard as that of the little children in my classes – although many of my Bible stories did end up turning into a game of charades! Seeing the passion the local teachers had for this younger generation was also very special. Some of the other work we were involved in included teaching and leading Bible studies at a large high school on the outskirts of the city. Often we would be introduced to classes as ‘professional teachers from England’ and then promptly left on our own in front of 100 pupils. It was all worth it to hear Rhiannon (a teammate from Lossiemouth) and my classes recite words and numbers with lovely Scottish lilts.

2018

committee

The local homework club, PEPE Programme, Beira

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Sunday

I’ve been invited to my first Stornoway Communion! One of the elders has noticed on Facebook that we’ll be up for the week and has invited us along, with a promise that one of the ministers will invite us for dinner after. We’ve taken his word for it and haven’t stopped at the store on the way in from the Saturday night ferry. The Communion service lasts two hours, and I’m given a token for the first time (Leith was the last Free Church to use them in Edinburgh, and that stopped a few years ago). The kids are having a great time in crèche and Sunday School, so I relax and enjoy the sermon. I like the slowness and quietness of the Communion itself, as well as the exposition of ‘fencing’ – the contemplation is nice. I can never get over how quickly Lewis congregations empty from the church building after a service. We’re the last ones to leave – all of two minutes after the benediction – but at least a hot cup of tea is waiting in the hall next door, served by one of the elders and his wife. And happily, the minister’s wife has indeed invited us over! Post-Communion lunch at the manse is an extravagant feast, with linen and origamifolded napkins on the table, three kinds of meat on offer, and two puddings. Everything is served by young volunteers, so I’ve nothing to do but cut up the children’s food and listen to the theological questions posed by the various young men in attendance. My mind boggles at some of them! But the minister and guest preacher both offer answers without breaking a sweat. You’d think they were professionals or something.

Monday

While Neil meets up with one of the local elders for a coffee, I pay a visit to my favourite Stornoway address. I refer, of course, to that of Charley Barley. I leave with a fruit marag, seven lamb chops, a steak pie, and a chocolate Nevis loaf cake, and eye up the remaining offerings for a return visit. A Stag plain loaf pretty much fills out the menu for the week. I spend the afternoon with an old friend who studied in Edinburgh for many years and is married to a Free Church deacon. In between attending to our yelling children, we manage quite a good catch-up. Later she texts me to say how great it is to have friends you can pick up with effortlessly – it feels like no time has passed! The chat was well and good but I’ve left something far more valuable behind me: two bags of Percy Pigs from my local M&S. While I’m visiting, Neil drops off my laptop with Tech Mobile, as it has been unresponsive on holiday and won’t even charge. This is ominous.

day Tues We’re in the car on the way to Ranish when Tech Mobile calls. Computer still dead. It’s

either the battery or the motherboard. I showcase my valuable multitasking skills by driving while having a good cry. Oh well, it’s pouring, so visibility is bad anyway. I can’t quite imagine how I’m going to buy a new computer – especially if I can’t do any work in the meantime. Ranish cheers me up, though. I think I’d like to live in these rugged hills, dotted with jewel-like lochs. We’re here to visit a local history expert. She spends two hours going through documents with Neil and showing him the croft where his granny and other family members lived. I sit by the peat fire with her husband, talking politics. He’s a nice bodach and helps entertain the kids. When we leave he slips them more pocket money than they normally see in two weeks! Back in Stornoway, we visit a relative who is the widow of a Free Church elder. She’s not been keeping well with lots of aches and pains, but still draws together a magnificent tea. Though she can’t make it out to church anymore, she says the sermons posted online really help, and Neil gets to read and pray with her before we leave. She thanks us profusely for coming, but we feel like we’re the ones who’ve been privileged by her company.

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Wednesday

After a morning taking in some Lewis sights, we spend a couple of happy hours at Lews Castle in the company of a local holy lady who writes for The Record. We’ve been pen pals for some time but never met in person, and talking to her is just like reading her articles! Both of us agree that it’s quite weird how strangers know us through our writing (and I for one am grateful that no one on the island has mentioned cessationism). We have a great chat, but there is so much still to say. She promises to visit when she’s in Edinburgh. I hope this means we can be best friends now. On the way home we pick up my dead laptop from Tech Mobile. They now say it’s the logic board, whatever that is. Good news: they charge us only £10 for the diagnostic. Bad news: a new logic board is £600. In the evening Neil goes to the Back prayer meeting, as we’re staying nearby. I wrestle with the children and then with his ancient MacBook. When it gets to 11pm I go to sleep. I vaguely hear him come in and rave about the prayer meeting and his evening at the manse, before drifting off again.

Thursday

Neil tries opening my laptop again. To our shock, it springs into life! We frantically make sure all documents are saved in case it collapses again, but so far the resurrection seems to be permanent. Maybe the holy lady said some prayers for it?? Post tenebras lux, indeed! We leave tomorrow, so today we have the sad task of visiting Aignish, where Neil’s father is buried. We also enjoy a visit to Eaglais na h-Aoidhe and its friendly resident cat; and lunch at Buth na Ruath, the café in the old Knock schoolhouse, is especially fruitful when I find a fantastic novel in the used books box for 50p! Neil attended the school as a little boy, living on a nearby croft, and he enjoys seeing his own kids there. The ‘last hurrah’ is a visit to yet another Stornoway elder, who graciously lent us his holiday house for our trip. He and his wife are great craic. Neil seems to be enjoying his chat about island connections and family history with our host, but I think I’m having more fun with the lady of the house!

Friday

A last walk round Stornoway before the ferry departs. I feel like I’ve understood the island on a new level this trip – the culture of the Free Church, the interconnectedness, the mannerisms. I venture a small joke to an old cailleach I meet in Baltic Books. ‘You’re the lady I want to sit next to in church,’ I say, nodding at the three bags of sweeties and mints she’s carrying. ‘Church!’ she sputters, horrified. ‘I enjoy a mint after dinner, but mints in church! Never!’ Every cailleach I’ve ever sat next to in church has offered me a mint imperial, but it seems the law is not universal…and I don’t know Lewis quite as well as I thought! Must schedule follow-up research trip, I think, slinking back in the queue to buy my boxes of Stornoway vanilla fudge. Till next time…•

Diary of a week inByLewis Dayspring MacLeod 2018

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Interview Part 1 with Rev. Angus MacRae, Moderator 2018 Rev Angus MacRae, minister of Dingwall & Strathpeffer Free Church, Chair of the Board of Ministry, and Moderator of the 2018 General Assembly, talks to Free Church Books about his life, ministry, and the books he has enjoyed along the way. In this first part, he talks about the growth in his faith from childhood through to studying for Free Church ministry at ETS. Let’s start at the beginning: can you tell us a bit about how you became a Christian? As you did, were there any books that were particularly helpful? I can never remember a time when I was not aware of God. I grew up with Christian influence from my grandparents and parents, and I always loved the Bible and hearing the story-line of scripture. I knew before I went to school that God was my Creator and Judge. I was aware of God’s holiness and the seriousness of sin, even the sins of a child. I knew that there were two eternal futures before me; one with God and the other separated from God forever. I did not want to be lost, but imagined that my prayers and trying to be good were the way to avoid hell and please God. Although I knew many Bible stories, it was not until I was about 9 or 10 years of age that the true significance of Jesus Christ dawned on me. I understood that Jesus was God’s Son, but I had no sense that Jesus had anything to do with me or my relationship with God. I imagined that I would need to fix my problem of separation from God for myself. It was a children’s book, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, one of the Narnia stories by C S Lewis, that opened my mind and heart to see Jesus Christ as the central figure in history. He was the one who had to become central to my life and faith. I read of the death and resurrection of Aslan, who gave up his life for a worthless and selfish coward. That wonderful and gracious lion character resembled and represented Christ.

That book turned on a light in my childish mind and showed me something of the glory of the cross. Jesus Christ had died in my place, taking my guilt upon himself, and rose again to lead me in a new life that will never end. I thank God for showing me Jesus, the one who was crucified for me not in a world of fiction but in this world of real nails, real thorns and real needs.

After that first real sense of Jesus’ reality and significance for you, how did reading the Bible and other books help to deepen and develop your faith? God placed some wonderful people around me, including Christian teachers and Sunday School teachers in Laxdale and Stornoway. They encouraged me to study the Bible with the help of basic commentaries, and to fill my heart with the Reformed faith from the Catechisms and Confession of Faith. As I started to dig into God’s word, I believe God gave me some understanding of the flow of scripture, of the big picture, and a great love of studying and sharing that message. Geoffrey Wilson had published a series of Bible Commentaries offering a selection from a wide range of authors. That got me reading Calvin and introduced me to a wide range of authors from across the centuries. It is not helpful to only read older books. Our minds need a range and balance of influences or we can become out of touch with our times. I devoured anything from The Bible Speaks Today series, from IVP. I also found John Stott’s work to be clear and helpful, particularly Basic Christianity, Why I am a Christian, and The Cross of Christ. My Christian worldview was shaped by reading Francis Schaeffer and Os Guinness. My imagination was fired by the three science-fiction books by C S Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra and That Hideous Strength, which predicted

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the madness of a technological age freed from morality and the fear of God, but which also looked forward to the renewal of creation in the power of God and his life-giving Holy Spirit. The Christian faith comes under constant attack. I am thankful to have found wise apologetic books as a student that defended miracles, the reliability of the Bible and how to sensibly relate science and faith without rejecting either.

How long after becoming a Christian did you sense the call to be a minister? Whilst you were a student at ETS, I’m sure you had to read a lot. Did any of the texts you studied have a strong impact on you? Are any of them still firm favourites today? In my teens I got involved in Youth Fellowships, Scripture Union, Youth Camps, Free Church missions, and was encouraged to help lead Bible studies or to give Bible talks. From that time on, I thought and prayed about how I could serve God and the church and wondered about full-time ministry. Friends gave advice and encouraged me to think about ministry. I felt I should respond to a sense of call and do something about it. At a Free Church Youth Conference, I talked over what was involved in ministry with the late Rev Hugh Ferrier, who was then a pastor in Inverness. His advice and the books he pointed me towards on Ministry and Calling were helpful. Looking back, I was very young and lacking in life experience, but I do see God’s hand guiding me. I went to

2018

study at Edinburgh University in 1985, and while there I applied to become a candidate for the ministry. I think I started to grow up a bit and enjoyed meeting people from all around the world and sharing my faith with all kinds of people. I had an operation for a burst appendix when I was 20 and was ill for several weeks. I could easily have died, but it was a good experience. My faith in Jesus was tested and strengthened and I was more sure that I should offer the rest of my life to serve the church and share the gospel of God. The church accepted me as a candidate, and I studied at what is now ETS from 1988 to 1991. In those years I came to appreciate many authors. Those books I often return to include works by Don Carson, Leon Morris, R C Sproul, Jay Adams, John Murray, Palmer Robertson, BB Warfield, FF Bruce and James Packer. • You can find links to purchase all the books and authors Angus mentions on our website: https:// thefree.church/books-amacrae.

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BOOK REVIEWS The Christian life has its ups and downs; faith is no guarantee against the extremes the world can throw at us. In this month’s selection of titles, Free Church Books has something to offer for several of the seasons of the Christian life. Spurgeon’s Sorrows Zack Eswine (2015) It’s quite hard to think of many other preachers that are as well-known or well-loved as Charles H Spurgeon. Eswine, in his short and easy-to-read book, draws from Spurgeon’s sermons, letters, poems, and quotes to tackle an aspect of Christian living and reality that is so often overlooked. This whispered reality is the fact that Christians can suffer from depression. Eswine uses Spurgeon’s writings to both make clear this reality and to offer real, pastoral, biblical support to those going through depression. This book pulls no punches; it is clear on the reality and depths of pain that Christians suffering from depression often go through. The book is also equally powerful in its wonderful medley of advice and comfort from Scripture, Spurgeon, and Eswine himself. This is an ideal book for those who suffer from depression, also for those with loved ones who suffer. This is not a self-help guide, nor is it offering a cure or quick fix, but it is offering comfort and ‘realistic hope’ from one pilgrim who has already walked the painful road. • Donald M. Macleod, Student, ETS

If There's a God, Why Are There Atheists?, R.C. Sproul (2018) Peter encourages the believer, ‘Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.’ R.C. Sproul dedicated his life to preaching, teaching and defending the Gospel — he continually gave a reason for the hope that he had. In this short book, Sproul takes on some major thinkers (Freud, Marx, Feuerbach and Nietzsche) to explore the nature of unbelief to better grasp the essence of faith. Psychology, sociology and theology are all explored, prompting the reader to think through what they believe and why, or alternatively, what they do not believe and why they don't believe it. If you like apologetics and you like to think, this book might be for you. Above all, if you wish to give your own reason for the hope that you have, you need to appreciate your audience, your culture and your society — Sproul can help you do this. • Bob Akroyd, Professor of Systematic Theology, ETS

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Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family & Church Keith & Kristyn Getty (2018) It should surprise no one that Keith & Kristyn Getty are passionate about singing — after all, they are two of the most well-known modern hymn-writers. However, their new book, Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family & Church, may surprise you in that it isn't an account of their success or the basics of how to write a popular worship song. Rather, it is a missional and biblical look at why singing is such a hugely necessary part of the Christian life — whether you can hold a tune or not! Beginning with Martin Luther (a very good place to start!), the book first looks at why worshipful singing should be an instinctive reaction to becoming a Christian. It then spends several chapters discussing simple ways to infuse your entire life with singing in praise, from the shower to the school run to Sunday morning services. Finally, the four somewhat affectedlytitled 'Bonus Tracks' pull no punches in advising those involved in leading church worship on how to make sure your worship is welcoming, accessible and most of all, God-focused. Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family & Church is a great little book for anyone who values the use of vocal music in the worship of Jesus our Saviour. It is also short, and very easygoing — I read it in its entirety on a transatlantic flight, with plenty of distractions! • Miriam Montgomery, Free Church Books

How to be a Perfect Christian The Babylon Bee (2018) If anyone is familiar with the Babylon Bee website, they will know the level of satire this website employs. This book follows in much the same vein. As the title suggests, it deals with how to be the perfect Christian in this life. For example, the first chapter looks at how to choose the perfect church and covers other topics such as how to serve without having to do anything and how to do evangelism. There were moments when I laughed out loud reading this book. Like all good satire, this is a book to be amused by – but it also forces us to question ourselves as we see ourselves in some of the points the book makes. A book to be read and enjoyed, but perhaps not one to take too seriously! • Trevor Kane, Dumfries Free Church GET IN TOUCH: EMAIL: books@freechurch.org SHOP: https://thefree.church/shop

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QUOTATIONS MALCOLM MUGGERIDGE

“

You know, it’s a funny thing that when you’re very old, as I am, seventy-five and near to dying, the queerest thing happens. You very often wake up about two or three in the morning and you are half in and half out of your body, a most peculiar situation. You can see your battered old carcass there between the sheets and it’s a tossup whether you resume full occupancy and go through another day or make off where you can see, like the lights in the sky as you’re driving along, the lights of Augustine’s City of God. In that sort of limbo, between being in and out of your body, you have the most extraordinary confidence, a sharpened awareness that this earth of ours with all its inadequacies is an extraordinary, beautiful place, that the experience of living in it is a wonderful, unique experience, that relations with other human beings, human love, human procreation, work, all these things are marvellous and wonderful despite all that can be said about the difficulty of our circumstances.

2018

”

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POETRY PAGE HOLY SONNETS: BATTER MY HEART, THREE-PERSON'D GOD BY JOHN DONNE

Batter my heart, three-person'd God, for you As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend; That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new. I, like an usurp'd town to another due, Labor to admit you, but oh, to no end; Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend, But is captiv'd, and proves weak or untrue. Yet dearly I love you, and would be lov'd fain, But am betroth'd unto your enemy; Divorce me, untie or break that knot again, Take me to you, imprison me, for I, Except you enthrall me, never shall be free, Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.

The Holy Sonnets — also known as the Divine Meditations or Divine Sonnets — are a series of nineteen poems by the English poet John Donne (1572–1631). The sonnets were first published in 1633 — two years after Donne's death. Many of the poems are believed to have been written in 1609 and 1610, during a period of great personal distress and strife for Donne who suffered a combination of physical, emotional, and financial hardships during this time. This was also a time of personal religious turmoil as Donne was in the process of conversion from Roman Catholicism to Anglicanism •

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Ionad-fasgaidh (Shelter)

LE JANET NICPHÀIL

eugh sinn beagan mu ghràdh chriosd, air an duilleig

crìochnaichte.’ Is e seo gu cinnteach glaodh buadhach. Is ann mar seo a tha E A’ gràdhachadh A mhuinntir fhèin, ‘gus a’ chrìch’. Abair adhbhar taingealachd! B’e am facal mu dheireadh bhon Chrann, ‘Athair, tha mi a’ tiomnadh mo spioraid ad làmhan-sa’. Dh’fhaodadh e a bhith gun do dh’ionnsaich E ùrnaigh mar seo a dhèanamh gach oidhche, nuair a bha E na bhalach òg. Nuair a choimheadas E seachad air bàs, is e làmhan gràdhach Athar a chì E. Tha misneach Aige a-rèist, agus tha E a’ cromadh A chinn, ’s a’ toirt suas an deò. Tha fhacail dheireannach làn earbs’ agus gràdh. Tha gràdh aig Criosd d’A Athair, agus tha fios Aige gu bheil tlachd aig Athair Annsan. Nuair a bhàsaich Criosd, reubadh brat-roinn an teampaill o mhullach gu ìochdar. Tha an ìobairt mhòr a’ dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil slighe a-nis air fhosgladh. Tha gach duine a-nis di-beatht’, agus tha gràdh Dhè cho fialaidh ’s gu bheil gach aon duine a’ faighinn a’ chuiridh. Is e sgeulachd gràidh a th’anns a’ Chrann-cheusaidh, agus gu cinnteach nuair a chluinneas sinn an sgeul, bu chòir dhuinne ar n-earbs’ a chur ann an Criosd mar Shlànaighear, a’ fàgail ar cùisean gu lèir Aige-san, airson beatha agus bàs.’ Bu chòir gum biodh gràdh againne Dha, airson na rinn E às ar leth, agus air ar son. Ghràdhaich Esan sinne an toiseach, agus bu chòir gum biodh gràdh againne Dha. Ma chaidh Criosd chun a’ Chrann-cheusaidh airson mar a bha E a’ gràdhachadh sluagh a bha caillte, nach bu chòir dhuinn gu lèir iarraidh air an Spiorad Naomh ar cridheachan a lìonadh le gràdh Dhasan a dh’ fhuiling àmhghair nach tuig sinne gu bràth, airson rèite a dhèanamh eadar daoine caillte agus Dia Naomh? Tha E a-nis air àrdachadh, agus is e an t-Uan a th’air an rìgh-chathair.•

Ghàidhlig, a’mhìos a-chaidh, agus tha iomadh àite ann far am faic sinn Gràdh an t-Slànaigheir. Bhiodh e glè dhuilich a bhith a’ gràdhachadh neach a bha a’fanoid nuair a bha thu a’ fulang, agus bhiodh e duilich gun a bhith a’ fuathachadh neach mar sin, ach chan ann mar seo a tha Criosd. Anns na Soisgeulan, leughaidh sinn mun fheadhainn a rinn fanoid air; na h-uachdarain a rinn magadh, droch dhaoine a thug toibheum dha, ach cha do fhreagair E càil air-ais. Tha an t-Abstol Peadar a’ cur nar cuimhne gur e a bha seo, ‘Neach nuair a chàineadh E, nach do chàin a-rithist’. Dh’earb Criosd E Fhèin Ris-san a bheir breith cheart. B’e seo an eisimpleir a dh’fhàgadh againn ri leantainn. Bha Criosd eadar dà ghadaiche, ach tha sinn a’ leughadh gu bheil aon fhear ag aideachadh a chiont, agus gu bheil e ag ràdh cho neo-chiontach sa tha Criosd. Dh’iarr E an uair sin air Criosd cuimhneachadh air nuair a thigeadh E d’A rìoghachd. Tha creideamh a’ faicinn Rìgh, agus tha Criosd a’ freagairt le bhith ag ràdh ris gum biodh e ann am Pàrras an là sin fhèin. Tha gach nì a rinn e ceàrr air a mhaitheadh dha, agus seo e a’ faighinn còir air Glòir. Tha Criosd a’ gràdhachadh tron dorchadas. Tha dorchadas san t-Seann Tiomnadh mar shamhla air breitheanas, agus seo Criosd a’ gabhail ar dorchadas, a’ fèin-fhiosrachadh ar breitheanas, oir leughaidh sinn gu robh dorchadas air an talamh airson trì uairean. Tha Mata agus Marcus ag innse mun dorchadas ann an anam Chriosd, nuair a tha E a’ glaodhaich, ‘Mo Dhia, mo Dhia carson a thrèig Thu mi ?’ Chan eil freagairt don ghlaodh sin. B’e fìor àm aonranach a bha seo ann an eachdraidh- beatha Chriosd. Abair cosgais ! Tha Esan a’ fulang piantan ifrinn, agus E air a thrèigsinn leis an Athair, ach tha A ghràdh a’ buadhachadh. Ghràdhaich E A mhuinntir Fhèin gu crìch, agus leughaidh sinn ann an Soisgeul Eòin, mu Chriosd a’ nighe casan nan deisciobal. Ghràdhaich E gu crìch iad, agus nach e seo an dara glaodh mu dheireadh a chluinneas sinn bhuaithe air a’ Chrann? Tha Criosd ag ràdh, ‘Tha e

(B’e an t-Urramach Alasdair I. Macleòid a bha a’ searmonachadh, agus tha sinn a‘ toirt taing dha.)

2018

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BY CATRIONA MURRAY

POST TENEBRAS LUX D

any

you

remember

shame? It was very big when

I was a youngster, quite the fashion accessory for repressed Leòdhasaich about town. My awareness of it certainly kept me from some of the worst excesses of youth — drink, drugs, RAF dances, tent missions ... I just didn’t want to be the one who did that heinous, unspeakable thing: bringing shame on my family. But shame has had its day. It went out with stonewashed jeans and perms. We’re not at home to it any longer. Now, you see, it’s all about the pride. Don’t get me wrong, we had pride when I was a kid too. Pride in our work, for example. And even the sort of stupid pride that prevented us from accepting help, or saying when we needed support. Gaelic has different words for improper, unjustified pride, and the kind which has its roots in a job well-done, or particular effort rewarded. I wonder which word my granny would have used for the march due to take place in Stornoway in early October — is the ‘Pride’ being paraded there justified or unjustified? Although there has been an outpouring about this on social media, I have refrained from commenting. Our church — and I mean in general, not just the Free — risks giving the impression that it rates sexual sin more seriously than any other kind. Actually, there are many concerning things taking place in our society which bother me more than some silly people making a noise in the streets

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about what used to be called their ‘private lives’. In fact, it’s pointless to get into the debate about Christianity’s view on gay lifestyles at all. What is fundamentally amiss in the experience of such people is not their sexual preference, but the fact that their lives are out of sync with God. When we go to witness to anyone, should our starting point honestly be with whatever visible sin they are committing? Is this actually about what is abhorrent to us? Do we rail against the thief for taking what isn’t his? Are we to publicly humiliate blasphemers, abortionists, persecutors of Christians? No. There is no point in remonstrating with sinners about their sin, if they don’t know Christ. Ultimately, if they are unacquainted with Him, they cannot see that they are shackled by what they believe sets them apart and makes them free. Without His light upon the situation, all you or I will ever be is a shadow on their path. There is no mileage in our merely raining on their parade. Society is sick with sin - with all kinds of sin. Why, though, is any Christian going to pick the outrages he deems most serious, and target those with angry letters, with petitions, with condemnation? In whose world does it make sense for me to take to online forums to lambast the gay community for marching in Stornoway town centre? Whatever we feel about it, God looks on all sin just the same. And I might well be guiltier of the

sin of pride than any marcher, if I set myself over them to chide and condemn. You can neither force, nor reason sin out of people, especially when they think that the way they live is fine for them and none of your business. The woman of Samaria was, perhaps, a little ashamed of her own lifestyle, choosing to collect water from the well at times when she was unlikely to meet with her neighbours. She feared their condemnation, no doubt, as well as their judgemental comments. One day, though, she met Christ there. He didn’t present her with a petition, or tell her that she was guilty of adultery; He didn’t rail against her, and demand that she repent. In fact, it was simply enough for her to be in His presence and hear her own life’s events related in the light of His truth. When the conversation had concluded, she had no further cause to feel the shame of her sin. In fact, instead of avoiding her neighbours, she ran headlong towards them to tell them of this man who told her all she ever did. And, all she ever did no longer held her in chains of guilt and shame, because He had loosed those as well. My job, as a Christian in Stornoway, is not to condemn people who are no more sinful than I, for doing what they think is right in their own sight. Surely what I am called to do is point them towards the marvellous light which guides all of us sinners in the way we ought to go. Only when they see Him can their eyes truly be opened, and their feet march to an entirely different beat.•

OCTOBER