WE regret to record that one of the truest friends of the Free Presbyterian Church passed away at 7.20 p.m. on Sabbath, 10th May, in the person of Mr. James Mackenzie, Clifflhouse, Poolewe, Ross-shire.
Since Mr. MacKenzie was a young man, he bore an unimpeachable moral character. He never became a member in full communion with the Church; but judging from certain fruits appearing with ever-increasing clearness in his life and conversation to the last, charity demands the conclusion that he was a gracious man. At an early age he became acquainted with some of the most godly and faithful ministers of Christ that were in the Highlands of Scotland before and after the Disruption of 1843. His father’s house at Kinlochewe was open to such, and the Rev. Alexander Macleod, of Uig, Lewis, “Big” MacRae, Rev. Peter Maclean, and others were among those who frequented it. Rev. Alexander MacColl, Lochalsh, taught at Kinlochewe, and ever continued a personal friend of the subject of this notice. Mr. Mackenzie was an ardent lover of the Word of God, and the treatment the Bible receives at the hands of the so-called Protestant Churches in Scotland and throughout the world, grieved him exceedingly. He considered the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms of the Church of Scotland as being strictly in accordance with the doctrines and principles of the Word of God, and consequently he had no difficulty in 1893 of casting in his lot among those who refused to submit to the drastic changes made then on the constitution of the Free Church. Being a man of sound understanding, of independent mind, of strong convictions, and of real integrity himself, he despised dissembling about the great matters which pertain to the glory of God and the salvation of perishing men. To this position he held uncompromisingly unto the end. His unfeigned humility, and low estimate of himself, kept him always in the background; but he did not conceal from his true friends, in private, his convictions regarding the danger to which the cause of Christ is exposed in our day, and the need there is to hold fast the form of sound words.
He delighted in the fellowship of the Lord’s people, and his hospitality and benevolence towards them were very exemplary. It may be truly said of him that he used hospitality without grudging, and his private charity toward the poor was well known. Being a man of keen discernment into human character, he used discrimination in all his dealings with his fellow-men. His liberality towards the Free Presbyterian Church was princely. He gave very material help to Gairloch for building both church and manse, also to Raasay, Glasgow, and many other places. This proves that his purse was open to help the struggling cause of Christ in the most liberal way. But we would do his memory a great injustice should we conceal that he urgently requested all along that nothing should be published about his gifts to the cause or people of God; but as we have not been restricted in any way now, we reveal so much as a proof of the disposition of the man, and to show what sort of a man he was—not for ostentation or flattery.
He will be much missed by all who knew him, especially by the Lord’s people. He was eighty-five years old when he died. His remains were laid to rest at Kinlochewe on the 13th of May, to await the morning of the resurrection.
We desire to express our deep sympathy with his sisters and all his relatives, as also with all friends throughout our Church. N. C.