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In 2002 we had a visit from
Sheryl Bulow, who is currently
working in Israel. Sheryl was brought up in the north of New
Zealand, in a small town called Waipu.
It was founded largely by Gaelic speaking Presbyterians, led by
the patriachal Rev Norman MacLeod who had led his congregation
from Assynt to Cape Breton Island and then to Australia before
finally settling down in Waipu. The story of this epic migration
is told in Neil Robinson's "Lion of Scotland",* from
which the following snippet is taken..
"In the McInnes household, as in most others in
Waipu, Sunday was bound up buy a host of restrictions. Potatoes
for dinner after church were prepared on the preceding day and
water for household use was poured into tubs. There was a four
mile walk to church. "At one time the congregation stood to
pray and sat for singing, " Mrs Annie Finlayson remembered. "Then
the order was reversed. But one old man refused to change with the
times, and sturdily followed in the way of his fathers."
We are all in danger of getting stuck in a rut at one
time or another, as Kenny was pointing out recently. The rut of "Tradtional
Worship" can be deeper than most, and most difficult to get
out of. Lord MacLeod of Fiunary had this to say..
"When we are asked to get back to the worship
of our 'fathers', we are entitled to ask,"Which of our
fathers?" For our worship has never stood constant. The
introduction of the metrical psalms caused a flutter in their
day:and no wonder for many of them were composed by an Englishman,
the Provost of Eton. While, later, hundreds of folk deserted the
churches when the papraphrases were introduced. Again, what is the
"presbyterian form" of frequency in administering the
sacrament of Holy Communion? Is it John Calvin's plea for a return
to the scriptural practice of a celebration each Lord's Day? Or is
it John Knox's practice in his acceptance of it once a month? Is
it that peculiar episode when the Church of Scotland upbraided the
Church of England for their infrequency in celebration? Or is it
the period later still when the observance was once or twice a
year? To which of "our fathers" do they want us to
return? ..There is no norm....The true presbyterian is he who, in
this and all things, is challenged by the promptings of the Holy
Spirit as he speaks to our day, in the light of scripture. There
is no constant "experience of the Church" to which to
appeal. The road is open........"
* "Lion of Scotland" by Neil Robinson ©
1952,1974 Neil Robinson |
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