Tha e duil mar bhi' a' Ghailig gum bidheadh an fortan deas. riatanach mar tha cuisean a dol gum bidheadh eolas againn air Beurla, gu na cuid thoir a comaith. Ach na leigimid air di-chuimhne gur i Ghailig cainnt nan gaisgeach, cainnt nan treunfhear, gleusda, gasda, choisinn cliu 's gach buaidh. Do'n Ghaidheal, le threuntas, le thur nadur, le cheud'an cuirp 'us anma, 's le gach buaidh tha fuaighte ris, bunaidh a dheadh chor ann am morachd 's an soirbheachadh na rioghachd so. Ach gun eolas air a Ghailig, tha 'n Gaidheal mar dhuine fo chioram-mar dhuine calma air leth laimh, no air leth shuil. Shaoil le Fearchar a Ghunna, gur e tiodhlacadh an fhear mhilleadh bha 'nn 'sa chiad sealladh fhuar e dheth 'n each-iarruinn, 's a shreath charbadan as a dheigh, a gabhail seachad am Blur-dubh. Ach shaoil le daoine bu ghlice na Fearchar bochd, 'nuair thainig an rathad iaruinn thar Druim-Uachdar, 's a ghabh e gu tuath gu ceann shuas Ghallabh, gu'n robh uair dheireannach an Gailig air tighinn. Ach tha Ghailig beo slan fallain fhathast ged tha i aois mhor. Ach a nis 'nuair tha 'n t-each iaruinn, faodar a' rath, a sitrich an Inbhirlochaidh, 'nuair tha muinntir Arasaig a cuir seol air co an taobh dhiubh air an gabh e seachad, 's iad fhathast an teagamh co-dhiu bhitheas a cheann-uidhe aig bonn Roisbheinn no air cladach Mhalaig; 'nuair tha Gearrloch's Lochbraoin a stri co aca bheir stabull dha, 's an nuair tha duil aig muinntir an Eilean Sgiathanaich agus Leodhais, ri gearran beag cruaidh do dh' each-iaruinn dhaibh fhein, feumar aideachadh gu'm bheil coir air suil a chumail a Ghailig 'sa h-iarrtas eiridinn. An dean sibh Gaidheal dhe'n dubh Ghall le boinead biorach a chuir air a cheann, breacan feile bhar a ghuaille, feile-beag suainte mu chruachanan cruaidhe cnamhach, osain 'us cuaran mu chalpanan speilgeach? Cha bhitheadh e ach seang. Cha mho na sin a ni Gaidheal Sasunnach dheth fhein, le pheirceallean a chuir ach beag as a cheile, 's a theanga a cumadh a stri ri fhacail tharruinn caol, 'ur Beurla uasal a labhairt ! Air chul mata leis an aithris bhochd so, 's le faoineachd cho leibideach. An aite naire bhi oirnn a canain 'us cleachdanan nan Gaidheal, gabhamaid uaill asda, agus gabhamaid 'h-uile cothrom, air an cumail suas, 's air an sineadh sios dhaibh-san thig as ar deigh. Tha e robh thaitneach ri innse gu bheil uaislean Gaidhealach 'us luchd-foghlum a gabhail suim dhe'n Ghailig, 's a cuir seol air nach bi an sliochd air an togail suas gun eolas aca air a chanain, bhlasda, adh-mhor a bh'aig Adhamh 'us Eubha. Agus na'n gabhadh ceannach air a bhuaidh, 's lionar fear nach caomhainneadh, storas air ghaoil's gun tuigeadh 's gu'm bruidneadh e Gailig cho deas ri na paistean, ceannruisde, casruisde, tha ris a bhuachailleachd cuir thoimh seachan air cach a cheile 's a stri co is luaithe their na briathran toinnte so, "Cha robh laogh ruadh, luath riamh.” Suas, mata, leis a Ghailig, agus mar bhuill dhileas dhe'n Chomunn so deanamaid coir 'us cliu a Ghaidheal a dhion, le ur deadh ghiulan oirnn fheinn mar Ghaidheil a cuimhneachadh ann am briathran a Bhaird "Fhad's 'sa bhitheas grian anns na speuraibh, No gealach a'g eirigh 's an oidhche, No gaoth a se deadh 's na h-airdibh, Bithidh cliu nan Gaidheal air chuimhne.” In the intervals between the speeches and the close of the proceedings an interesting programme of Gaelic and English songs and Highland dances and music was gone through. Mr Paul Fraser, an old favourite, opened the concert with "Mairi Bhoidheach," for his rendering of which he received hearty applause. Miss Kate Fraser sang "Glencoe" with much expression, and later on she scored a distinct success in "Farewell to Fiunary." Miss Fraser possesses a voice of singular purity of tone, and it is heard to most advantage in the plaintive old melodies such as she usually sings. Miss Clara Fraser sang "Turn Ye to Me" and "Wha's at the Window," with the scientific accuracy and delicacy which always characterises her performances. Miss Forbes, Tore, did full justice to "Dark Lochnagar" and "Gu ma slan a chi mi." In the former piece, especially, her clear rich voice was given full play; while the pretty Gaelic air which followed was rendered with accurate pronunciation, appropriate sweetness, and purity of intonation. M. Oscar la Valette Parisot sang "The Roll-call” and "Macgregor's Gathering," for each of which he received an enthusiastic encore. He responded in both cases with a seriocomic song. Mr J. Leslie Fraser sang "Cam' ye by Athol" very effectively. Misses Grace Macdonald and Todd and Masters King (Nairn) and Clark (Church Street) danced a reel, and afterwards, in response to a unanimous recall, the Highland Fling, with great spirit; and the Reel of Tulloch was performed later on by four stalwart and be-medalled young Highlanders, Messrs Ferguson, Dewar, Forbes, and Macdonald, with equal acceptance. quartette party, consisting of Misses Fraser and Forbes, and Messrs Ross and Fraser, sang "Bonnie Loch Lomon'" and "Wae's me for Prince Charlie;" but perhaps the greatest treat of the evening was the piano and violin duets by Mrs Mackenzie of Ord and Mr W. D. Davis, who seemed to be able to evolve almost anything they pleased out of their instruments. Their rendering of the old A Jacobite songs was a musical revelation, and the enthusiastic encores which followed sufficiently attested the feelings of the audience. The pianoforte accompaniments were tastefully supplied by Miss C. Fraser, and the proceedings were appropriately diversified by an excellent selection of pipe-music from Pipe-Major Ronald Mackenzie The Rev. Thomas Sinton proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman and artistes, and the singing of "Auld Lang Syne" by the performers brought a most enjoyable and successful assembly to a close. Through the kindness of the following parties, the platform was decorated with plants, tartans, stags' heads, and old arms -Plants, Howden & Co.; Urquhart & Co.; and Macleod & Co., nurserymen; plaids, Macdougall & Co.; Murray & Watson; Macbean & Sons; R. Fraser & Sons; Campbell & Fraser; and Mr William Mackay; stags' heads, Hugh Snowie & Son, Mr Macleay, and Mr J. Grain; old arms, Bailie Stuart and Mr Leslie Fraser. The following is a copy of the programme : PART I. Address..... Song (Gaelic)" Braigh Rusgaich Song- Turn ye to me (Ho ro mo Mhairi Dhubh).... ......Miss CLARA FRASER. Song- "The Roll Call Song--" Glencoe " (Ancient Gaelic Air).. Scotch and Highland Airs Song "Mairi Bhoidheach Song "Lochnagar .M. OSCAR LA VALETTE PARISOT. ...Mrs MACKENZIE of Ord and Mr DAVIS. Mr PAUL FRASER. .FOUR YOUNG GAELS. Miss FORBES. Piano and Violin Selections-Scotch Airs...Mrs MACKENZIE of Ord & Mr DAVIS. Song "Farewell to Fiunary Miss FORBES. Misses FRASER and FORBES, Quartette—“ Ae' fond Kiss" (Ancient Gaelic Air) and Messrs FRASER & ROSS. Song "O, wha's at the Window?" .Miss CLARA FRASER. "Auld Langsyne." 6th NOVEMBER, 1889. This meeting, being the first of Session 1889-90, was largely attended. The Rev. Donald Masson, M.A., M.D., Edinburgh, read a paper, entitled, "The Church and Education in the Highlands." The following is Dr Masson's paper : THE CHURCH AND EDUCATION IN THE HIGHLANDS. In dealing with this subject, it would be unfair to dwell exclusively on the splendid educational work of the Protestant Presbyterian Church-that work, so wisely begun by John Knox, which, for good or evil, was finally closed by the Education Act of 1872. We must remember that from very early times, long before the Reformation, there were favoured spots of our native land where the lamp of knowledge was trimmed and tended with pious care by learned and faithful men, whose teaching and great personal influence shed abroad into the darkness some rays of culture and the light of softened manners. We ought also to remember that education is not always and necessarily a matter of letters, and writings, and books. Already in our own day, when books and book-learning count for so much, we have come to speak not a little of technical education, the education of quickened senses, manual dexterity, and special craft-culture. As an educated nation, we boast of our ocean greyhounds, which are rapidly turning the wide Atlantic into a convenient ferry, to be crossed and recrossed without fear or concern at the frequent call of business or pleasure. But what of the long and perilous voyages of those hardy Norsemen who, ages ago, daring the tempests of the German Ocean in their slim canoes, swept down upon our shores to give us, if through the channel of temporary conquest, that precious tertium quid in our blood, the iron and stiffening of our national character? They were pagans, and practised human sacrifice. But who shall say that they were uneducated? In the whole technique of a sailor's life and work they were already graduates in honours. Among them were splendid workers in gold, silver, and iron. Their precious ornaments of gold and silver, their swords of finest temper, beautifully damascened, take high rank as works of art, and form the choicest treasures of "ground-find," enriching the museums of the world. They were merchantmen as well as sea kings. The golden coins of Rome and Carthage were buried with them in the funeral mound, side by side with the shirt of mail, the war-steed, or the ship which was their home. Such men were surely educated, and must have been educators as well. And what of the men of an unknown but evidently a still earlier age, who carved the rude contents of those handsome funeral urns, daily turned out in our day by a horde of promiscuous excavators, irreverent as too often they are wholly incompetent, pottering among the hoary burying grounds of a forgotten race? Ignorant of our three R's, these primitive men, of unknown age and race, very obviously were; but wholly uneducated we dare not call them. And the carvers of that wonderful series of beautifully sculptured memorial stones, long ago set up along the north east shores of Scotland, what shall we say of them? Were they missionaries of the Asian Mystery? pilgrims from the sacred banks of the Five Rivers, who voyaged all the way to Thule to propagate the mild religion of Buddha ? A learned Aberdonian, long resident in India, and a competent student of Comparative Archæology, has fully convinced himself that they were; and he has written a large and learned book to make good this faith that is in him. Whether, indeed, it be really so; or whether, as is most likely, these sculptured stones are the work of the earlier Norsemen, their beautiful workmanship bespeak no mean attainment in decorative art; for they are the admiration of the artists, not less than the antiquaries of our day. These men had not our education. But who shall say that they had not an education of their own which, in us, it were at once unfair and unwise to ignore or despise ? So much I frankly grant. In Scotland, as elsewhere, there was some sort of education, lopsided, indeed, and at its best confined mostly to the few, which not only preceded Christianity but was also, to some extent at least, independent of the great Roman Empire. Still there can be no doubt that, in the wider and modern sense of the word, the real education of Britain came to us through the Christian Church. When, for example, about A.D. 560 Columba visited the pagan court of Brude Mac Maelchon, on the shores of the Ness, he must necessarily have left his converts something more than the abstract truths of our most holy religion. Columba, though brave and strong as the bravest hero of his warlike days, was above all a missionary of the Gospel of Peace. He was deeply versed, moreover, in all the book-learning of his day. His sword was the transcriber's pen, and his only buckler that leabhran beg bàn he loved so well. If he found not at the Pictish Court |