Free Church of Scotland.

HIGHLAND MISSION.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE

FOR

THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS.

MAY 1867.

EDINBURGH: PRINTED BY THOMAS CONSTABLE, PRINTER TO THE QUEEN, AND TO THE UNIVERSITY.

MDCCCLXVII.

sterling (the amount to be stated in words, not figures) to the Committee for the Management of the Highland Mission Fund of the Free Church of Scotland, and I appoint the same to be paid, at the first term of Whitsunday or Martinmas after my death, to John M'Donald, Esq., General Treasurer to the Free Church of Scotland, and his Successors in office, Treasurers aforesaid: and I declare that the discharge of the said John M'Donald, Esq., or of such Treasurer for the time being, shall be a sufficient discharge to my Executors.

ENDOWMENT SCHEME.

THE following are the resolutions adopted by the Committee and approved by the General Assembly, for regulating the Endowment Scheme :

'That a sum of not less than £1000 be aimed at, to be apportioned for the benefit of each such charge; it being understood that this Endowment shall not be available, except in those cases in which the General Assembly is satisfied that the Congregation is doing its duty to the Sustentation Fund.

That such Endowments be funded in the names of the General Trustees for the Church, but under the control of this Committee, as subject to the supervision and direction of the General Assembly.

That the proceeds of such Endowments be annually paid in, on behalf of each Charge, to the General Sustentation Fund.

"That it shall be lawful for this Committee, with the authority of the General Assembly, to transfer such Endowments from any one charge in the Highlands to another similar Charge, if at any time the continuance of the Charge first endowed be deemed unnecessary, or the circumstances be so changed as not to require it.'

REPORT.

FUNDS.

THE state of the Funds of the Committee is as follows:

I. Balance of last Account, ending 30th March 1866, viz. :—

1. On General Fund,

II. Contributions during the year

1. Congregational Collections,

2. Donations,

3. Legacies,

4. Juvenile Offerings,

5. One Year's Dividend of £250,

155 13 10

II. Expenses of Ministers on Evangelistic Deputations,

III. Bursaries and Aid to Students,

IV. Grants in Aid to Ministers of Church Extension Charges,

V. General Charges, etc.,

being No. 6 in Charge,

1. Salary of Clerk,

2. Office Expenses, Printing Report, etc.,

305 0 0

439 14 11

100 17 2

60 0 0

68 15 6

18 0 6

VI. Travelling Expenses of Members, .

Balance in favour of General Fund,

The past year has been one of considerable anxiety to the Committee in connexion with the state of their funds. Being the second year of the biennial period in which they obtain a collection, they had no collection, and were left accordingly to depend entirely on the balance of the inadequate amount contributed the previous year, with private donations, and the returns of stations. They have hitherto been able for many years to close their annual account free of debt; but notwithstanding the exercise of all possible economy, they were for a long period of the past year afraid that on this occasion they would find the balance on the wrong side of the account, and would have to close with a considerable defalcation. In November last, the Convener made a statement to this effect to the Commission, which they hoped might lead to a liberal response from some of the friends of the Church. In this they were not disappointed; and several sums, including the handsome donation of £50 from Mr. Macfie of Airds, were forwarded to the Treasurer. These contributions, together with an unexpected in

crease on the returns from the stations, have in the meantime relieved the Committee from difficulties, and they have been enabled to close their annual account with a sum of £99, 11s. 2d. to their credit. This sum, however, is considerably less than usual at the same season; and as three quarters' salaries will have been paid before the collection is in the hands of the General Treasurer, the Committee must enter on their next biennial period with considerable anxiety.

The Committee, in looking at the details of their revenue, cannot but call the attention of the Assembly to the gratifying state of the returns from the stations. Last year this sum amounted to £492; this year it amounts to £587. It is creditable to the stations to find the efforts they are making. Within the last few years several of them have been admitted into the number of sanctioned charges, and, as might be anticipated, those so admitted are the most able, both in point of numbers and means. It might be anticipated, in consequence, that there would be a large falling off in the aggregate contributions to the Sustentation Fund. This, however, has not been the case, as those still remaining on the roll, together with those admitted anew, have made such efforts to uphold that fund, and clear themselves of obligations to it, that the contributions from this source have suffered little for the last ten years. This is sufficient to show that the people in our poorer charges are not insensible of their duty to our great central fund, and affords encouragement to the Church in seeking extension among the still destitute portions of the land.

The Committee would remind the Church, while on the subject of finance, that this is the year on which it usually falls to them to receive a biennial collection, and to request urgently of the ministers to represent the claims of this Committee with all earnestness to their congregations. The objects for which funds are required are both numerous and various. They have the supply of Vacant Sanctioned Charges, which they have in some cases to aid from their funds, although only in the case of the poorer and more dependent of them. Where the local funds are very low, this has been found essential, unless the Committee were prepared to see such charges without any supply at all. Then they have their scheme for the Supply of Stations, which will be referred to in another part of the Report; but this portion of their operations entails an annual expenditure of upwards of £1500. They have further a scheme for Catechists, implying an outlay of £1000. They have a scheme of Deputations, the expenditure for which they have been reluctantly compelled latterly to curtail; and they have a scheme for the employment and encouragement of students for the ministry, which leads to an annual outlay of about £300. To these objects, requiring a large expenditure, have to be added the usual office and other expenses for carrying on the work of such a Committee, expenses which have been kept within all possible reasonable limits. Nor could this expenditure be avoided if the Church were to do her duty to the Highlands. The