Machen! Thou shouldst be living at this hour!

With apologies to Wordsworth:

Machen! thou shouldst be living at this hour:
The Kirk hath need of thee: she is a fen
Of stagnant waters: altar, sword, and pen,
Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower,
Have forfeited their ancient Presbyterian dower
Of inward happiness. We are selfish men;
O raise us up, return to us again,
And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power!
Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart;
Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:
Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,
So didst thou travel on life's common way,
In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart
The lowliest duties on herself did lay.

Here are some thought provoking links on the recent events affecting the Church of Scotland:

David Meredith writes about the future for a bible centred, grace proclaiming, contemporary, church planting, socially responsible Presbyterian Church in Scotland – perhaps even the UK! here

John Ross, in an extensive and very thoughtful post, writes about a new church for Scotland here (HT: Creideamh)

And Carl Trueman weighs in with some thoughts on how these issues should be handled effectively by evangelicals within the presbyterian Church of Scotland here