CHURCH WORK
"He was one of the most complete ministers I ever met. He was a great preacher, an excellent visitor, a full-orbed saint. He visited the dying on Saturdays that his heart might be thrilled by what he saw, and that he might be put into an arrested and serious frame for Sabbath work."
DR. BAXTER, of Blairgowrie.
ST. PETER'S was a veritable bee-hive of industry when M'Cheyne was minister there. We have seen how he had sometimes more than two regular services in the church on the Sabbath, and how faithful and unwearied he was in the preaching of the everlasting Gospel; but this saintly man, who was an indefatigable worker himself, also had the gift or power of getting others to work devotedly along with him. There was a great deal of personal magnetism about M'Cheyne. He soon surrounded himself with a large band of office-bearers, and their motto must certainly have been: To every man his work.
In addition to the elders, there was a large staff of tract distributors, who met at stated intervals for the reading of the Word and prayer. Then there was a great deal of work carried on among the young. Mr. Lamb had a class for adults, and so had M'Cheyne himself. There were large Sabbath schools, and, in addition, something like what we would now call a children's church, which, however, did not meet during the canonical hours of public worship, nor shortly before, but as early as eight o'clock in the morning. There are many references to this last in the diary. Now-a-days many congregations have more agencies at work than St. Peter's had, but undoubtedly this congregation, fifty years ago, must have held quite a unique place in Scotland for the number of its Christian enterprises, and the number of its workers; and we may look upon it as the pioneer of those latter-day great working congregations, of which we have conspicuous examples in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
M'Cheyne himself took a deep personal and practical interest in all the agencies carried on. We have mentioned the meeting as early as eight o'clock in the morning; but there were meetings late as well as early. In a letter to Mr. Lamb, eight o'clock in the morning indicates how difficult it s to find time for the various meetings, and suggests that one of them be held at a quarter-past nine on the Thursday evening, and "regularly" at that late hour. It is interesting to find on one of M'Cheyne's envelops his crest or seal. It is that of the sun setting behind a mountain top, with the motto, "The night cometh." How very appropriate to such an earnest worker for the Lord, to whom every moment was precious, and who was deeply impressed with the Lord's words: "Work while it is called to-day, for the night cometh, when no man can work."
He seems to have been specially interested in the Sabbath schools. Mr. Lamb writes in his diary: "Had a visit of Mr. M'Cheyne, who addressed the children for a short time." Again, "Attended a short address by Mr. M'Donald (of Blairgowrie, afterwards Dr. M'Donald, of North Leith) to the Sabbath school children in the evening, which was very appropriate and good." But from the context it is evident M'Cheyne was along with Mr. M'Donald, for Mr. Lamb adds, "after this we had a prayer meeting, Mr. M'Cheyne and another minister officiating."
Then we find from the diary that this devoted minister had a course of special lectures for Sabbath school teachers. It is evident, however, that he did not give the first place to mere head knowledge or intellectual ability, for there is a letter from him to Mr. Lamb in which he mentions to young women who "were very humble, prudent, and consistent Christians, and very anxious to be Sabbath school teachers. They have not much education, but they have much grace." He then asks Mr. Lamb to try and find an opening for them "in our present schools, or any district peculiarly needing another girls' school. Failing these, he suggests they might gather together children of still younger age, and "try the infant school system in Sabbath schools."
M'Cheyne took an interest in the praise of the sanctuary, and would have no bad or slovenly singing. Here is a brief extract from the diary in this connection: "Mr. M'Cheyne intimated to-day that there would be weekly meetings for singing, and that it was a great shame that Christians did not endeavour to sing the praise of God well. Why should the devil, as one remarked, have all the best music? This is very true," adds Mr. Lamb, "and I rejoice that he has mentioned the subject."
Every one knows of M'Cheyne's interest in the Jews, and how he went on a "mission of inquiry" to Palestine to see what could be done to bring the light of the Gospel to bear upon them in their own land. But to other parts of the world, where heathenism prevailed, his gaze was also directed. In other words, he took a deep interest in Foreign Missions. Here is an entry in the diary bearing on this:-
"Thursday, 2nd June, 1842. At weekly prayer meeting in church as usual. Mr. M'Cheyne communicated some interesting intelligence from a young missionary at the Azores, and gave a very excellent and comforting address from the words of Isaiah xlv. 22: 'Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.'"
It was only to be expected that wherever there were revival times M'Cheyne would rejoice to look in that direction. So at another prayer meeting we have this: "Mr. M'Cheyne communicated some interesting information regarding a revival of religion in England," and, adds the diary, which shows how humble he was, and how he felt his own unworthiness, "He lamented his deadness!" M'Cheyne's deadness! The whole Church would be the better of more of such "deadness!"
At another prayer meeting in the church, where the non-intrusion controversy was raging, M'Cheyne laid great stress on Church reformation, and he emphasized the following: (1) Reformation in the doctrines preached. Let preachers preach up to the standards of the Church, and not below them. Let dead preaching come to an end. (2) Reformation in the lives of ministers, preaching more by their holy and consistent lives than in their sermons. (3) Reformation in discipline, specially as regards admittance to the Lord's table. Many are admitted who have not a creditable profession, who are lacking in knowledge, and whose lives are not worthy. (4) Reformation as regards the appointment of ministers. Patronage must be abolished, as inconsistent with God's Word.
In those days the Church of Scotland would not open its pulpits to ministers of other denominations. But M'Cheyne evidently had no sympathy with such narrowness, so whenever— owing to a change in the ecclesiastical law—he could have a brother of another communion preaching for him, he availed himself of the opportunity. Accordingly we have the following extract in the diary: "Afternoon (in St. Peter's) Mr. Borwick, of the Secession Church, preached from Luke ix. 29-31. How pleasing to see these barriers of party Christians broken down, and the right hand of fellowship held out by one Christian Church to the members and ministers of others. Methinks if the General Assembly this year (1842) had done nothing else save repealing that obnoxious law, which prevented its ministers asking other evangelical men to preach in their churches, it had done much. In the midst of trouble and internal struggles in the Church of Scotland, this is a pleasing and refreshing thing. Surely in the midst of our bondage God is reviving us a little."