Scotland by Alexander Ritchie; Tillie Olds Ritchie

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Mar 17, 1904

Scotland

By Alexander Ritchie; Tillie Olds Ritchie

SINCE our last report we have moved into a new field of labor. The pressing calls for help from this great city of Glasgow obliged us to leave our work in Kirkcaldy before we would otherwise have done so.

All who accepted the message there remain loyal thus far, but a few have not yet taken a firm stand on tithing. However, eighteen persons are paying tithe, and twenty-two have been baptized. We thank and praise the Lord for what has been done.

We left the company there comfortably located in a neat, well-lighted little hall, entirely under their own control, with a seating capacity of about two hundred. All their bills were paid, and their courage was good in the Lord. Elder O. A. Olsen visited them about four weeks ago, and they enjoyed his visit very much. Brother Westworth held three meetings with them, the first week in February, and they appreciated these also.

We are now laboring in Glasgow, the commercial metropolis of Scotland. Our work here opened concurrently with a workers’ meeting for the Scottish laborers, who are mostly canvassers as yet. Much precious instruction was given during this meeting; and on the last Sabbath eight souls were baptized, and fifteen persons were added to the Glasgow church.

The circumstances which made the demand for our removal to Glasgow so urgent were these: (1) The church-members needed help and encouragement, as there had been strife and division among them; (2) they had been promised help for months, without receiving it; (3) their place of worship was a vacant church rented from a railway company for two hundred and fifty dollars a year (about five dollars a week). They undertook this responsibility about a year ago, with the advice of leading brethren from other conferences in attendance at the last Scottish general meeting. They rented the church with the understanding that ministerial help would be supplied to them, to use the church for public services, and thus by collections raise the rent, or at any rate a good part of it, the remainder being covered by pledges. But seven months of their rent-year passed by before help was sent, because there was no one to send.

Some might say, “Why did they rent so large a place, and at such a rent?”—Simply because, although a committee searched the city for days, no other place at all suitable could be found.

Now we are here, and this is the situation that confronts us. This is a city of one million souls, the second in size and importance in the great British empire. It is a wicked, drunken city, with much poverty and misery. There is a vast population all around it, which will be influenced by whatever we can do here. There are four and one-half millions of people in Scotland, and over one fifth of them are here in our “parish.”

Our church-members are all poor in this world’s goods. There is a debt of over sixty dollars resting on them now, some of which is nearly a year old. This is mainly for coal, gas, printing, and hymn-books. We need an organ. We have not a penny with which to advertise our meetings, call the people in, and thus raise collections. All the churches here have to advertise freely.

Our church is closed this week, because the owners consented to clean, paint, and redecorate it. When this is done, we shall rejoice; for it was very, very dirty. We know your needs are many in America, but we plead for just a little help. Perhaps the Lord will impress some dear Scotch brother or sister to give us a lift. The Lord must have many honest souls in a city of this size. Who will turn the fly-wheel half-way round so we can get a start?

We wish to thank most heartily the following dear brethren and sisters for valuable tracts received from them: Mrs. H. L. Allen, Rutland, N. Y.; W. H. Jenkins, Knoxville, Iowa; Mrs. J. S. Christiansen, Sebastopol, Cal.; Brother Neil McGill, Roden, Manitoba. Our address now is 47 Cartvale Road, Langside, Glasgow, Scotland.

Brethren and sisters, remember Scotland and us in your prayers and offerings.

ALEXANDER RITCHIE, TILLIE OLDS RITCHIE.