Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-08
Biggest Preacher in Scotland.

cannot he heard anywhere else. The
church is large and with Its gallery
seats $500 people. very pew is fllled
at every service and everybody sings ms
best The preaching is as good as the
singing. The service is very similar to
that of the Presby terrain Church in the
United States. lasting an hour and half
with sermon thirty minutes long. In
very closely what is known as the Som
arville portrait of John Knox. which
Thomas Carlyle claims is the only gen.
uine portrait of the great reformer In
existence. l was much struck by de-
scription of knoXS personal appearance
In a letter written by Sir Peter Young,
tutor 10 James VI. who says
How John Knox Looked.
I'm stature he was slightly under the
middle height head of moderate
size. hair black. complexion somewhat
dark. In his stern and severe counte-
nance there was a natural dignity and
majesty not without a certain grace
Under somewhat narrow forehead his
over his reddy and slightly swelling
cheeks. The color of his eyes was BLUSH
gray. their glance keen and animated
While we have become accustomed to
trait belonging to Lord Somerville shows
his whiskers trimmed in the Van Dyke
style
DIR. MacGregor is very different in char
acter and disposition from the traditions
Of the great reformer. for he is always
bubbling over with humor and human
sympathy. He went to Canada In 1881
with the Marquis of Lorne and the late
Duke of Argyle. who was his intimate
friend from boyhood. He spent the sum-
mer in British Columbia, returning by
way of the Union Pacific railroad to New
York. but the party did not see very
much of the United States Various ar
rangements for their entertainment were
President Garfield. While the good doc
tor was in Manitoba, Sir William Van
Horne named a, town site after him, and
you can see the name MacGregor on the
map. Not long ago. at the general as
sembly the chairman of the committee
of Canadian missions in reading his re-
port Internationally provoked a shout of
laughter by referring to the Presbyterian
Church at that place in laconic manner
as follows:
'MacGregor. small but active and inn
portant."
AS that description fits the man as we'll
as the town the coincidence was instant
y recognized by the staid doctors of di-
vinity. who roared with amusement until
DR.. NacGregor arose in his seat and made
4 proper acknowledgment.
'MacGregOrS a live wire, was the way
my companion described him after we
mad paid our respects to the celebrated
divine.
DIR. MacGregor is noted for his love and
admiration for the United States. and al
ways prays for our peace and prosperity
as a nation, and for the health of our
President at every service. And he prays
that the Scottish and American Presby-
terrain churches may some time be unit ed
IN one. for they are the same thing. and
they would he better together" is the
way he puts it.
They Don't Mix Well.
Any one who would like to read an ac-
curate and at the same time amusing
account of the different kinds of Pres
byterianism in Scotland can find it in that
amusing book known as "Penelope's
Progress" by Kate Douglas Wiggin. The
differences between the different sects,
their rivalries and jealouSies. are very
serious to them, but to strangers are one
OF the mos: amusing things in Scotland.
Nowhere Is so much interest taken In &C.
clesiastical and dOctrinal questions; no
where else. among Protestants at least
Is religion such a vital affair, and every
body. even the children on the street, can
give you instant and accurate references
10 events III church history which were
never heard of outside of Scotland
They can tell You all about the contro-
;rsies between the several distinct kinds
of proper Presbyterianism and the causes
that led TO them: they can explain about
the disestablishnent and the disruption
the sustentation fund. the non-intrusion
movement and the "Dundas despotism. -
A friend of mine held up a brisht-look-
ing boy on the street the other day and
made him recite what seemed to be the
principal part of the Westminster Cate
chisn with which the lad was as familiar
AS an American hoy would be with the
base ball scores. And there Is great deal
of church history in Scotland that We all
ought to know.
In the first place three fourths of the
population are Presbyterians just as
three-fourths of the people of England
are Episcopa'ianS and three fourths of the
Irish are Roman Catholics.
When the Split Began.
John Knox made them So He organ
| ICED the Established Church. which ran
along peaceabiy for u hundred and fifty
years or SO and then split on some poin
| of doctrine or discipline. The seceders
formed what is known as the '.U. p
or United Presbyterians Then. in 1Si3
occurred one of the most extraordinary
events In church history. when 40 men
led by the eminent and learned Thomas
. chalmers. marched out of the general as
| sembly, which WAS sitting in st. An.
drews Church. Edinburgh. resignine
| their pulpits. relinquishing all their saia
| ries and claims and disconnecting them
selves from the Established Church as a
protest against a practice of the grea
| landed propretors. who insisted upon ap
pointing to the pulpits of the parishes or
| their estates such men as they pleased.
This right of patronage had long beer
| subject of dispute and dissension bu
| the government defended and SUSTAINED
] it against the remonstrances of the clergy