(Continued from page 190.)
GLORY to Thy holy name, for a revelation of Thy will in the blessed Bible. I bless Thee that my lot has fallen in this land where the way of salvation is recorded; and that I was born of such parents as gave me education; and that it has been sanctified. I bless Thee, who hast made me content with the portion of this world’s goods allotted me. I have Thyself as my portion and exceeding great reward, therefore I cannot want; all Thy divine attributes are engaged on my side to render me completely happy in time and in eternity.
O my covenanted God, all things come of Thee, and of Thine own have I offered unto Thee this day, for I am Thine by creation and redemption; therefore I plead for the sake of Christ that Thou wouldst accept of this offering, and forgive anything that is amiss in this transaction. I believe that, what Thou hast done for me, and in me at present, and at other times, is ratified in heaven from eternity, and stands upon an infallible foundation, more sure than the covenant of works, because it is founded upon better promises which cannot be broken. O my God, save me from taking the very least encouragement to sin because of the stability of Thy covenant. O let it be a never-failing spring of comfort unto me all the days of my life, and at the hour of death, that I may rejoice in Thee as my covenanted God in Christ both in time and through all the ages of eternity. And in confirmation
of this my assent and consent to all the terms of the covenant, I do subscribe it with my hand, heart, and soul; and that God is true in the record that He hath given of Christ, I set to my seal that there is life in Him and nowhere else.
DUGALD BUCHANAN.
At the Cave of this Rock,
6th August, 1743.
Before I left this place, my closed lips were opened, and my mouth filled with the high praises of my God; my chains and fetters fell off, and I was set at liberty. O that was a sweet day unto my soul, when I sat in the cave of the rock, and the Lord proclaimed His name in Christ, and made all His goodness to pass before me—”The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin” (Exodus xxxiv. 6). The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was to be dispensed next Sabbath at the port of Monteith, and I went there to receive the seal of the covenant; and when at the table, Mr. S——h served, and proposed the following questions to the communicants: “Have you,” said he, “broken your covenant with death and hell, and joined yourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant never to be forgotten? Have you given your consent to this method of salvation by Christ Jesus? What think you of it? And how do you love it? Is it all your salvation and all your desire? How are you pleased with the laws of it? What love have you to the surety of it?” In short, he went through all my exercises, and I found my heart giving consent to all that I had written on that day. “Well,” said he, “if this be your case, viz., that you have laid hold upon God’s free and gracious covenant, I may freely give you the seal of it, wherewith you shall be sealed to the day of redemption.”
So I received the seal of the everlasting covenant, and, before I arose from the table, with what grief, joy, and wonder, did I behold my dear Redeemer bruised under the Father’s wrath, which justly belonged to me, and also stretched out upon the cross, grappling with the powers of darkness, and coming off a Conqueror, having received His elect, and me in particular, and came away having my soul satisfied as with marrow and fatness.
On the Sabbath evening I heard a very comfortable sermon from Ps. xlviii. 14. The minister shewed part of the believer’s happiness in having God to be his God, etc. After that I went to Kilsyth, where the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was a-celebrating, and had many meditations by the way. On Sabbath morning I heard Mr. Robe preach the action sermon from Rev. i. 17, 18. I never felt more of the power of God than I did on that occasion. I hope some plentiful drops of divine influence fell upon my parched soul. I might, indeed, call that place a Bethel. I said in the meantime, O Lord, it is good to be here.
I thought that I could dwell in that place all my days, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to rejoice in His holy temple.
I rejoiced to see the conquering Redeemer making a willing sacrifice in the day of His power. I was likewise filled with joy after I came out of the kirk, when I saw those who were clothed in scarlet lying on their faces on the ground at the foot of the Almighty King of Zion weeping and making supplication without being ashamed of it before others. I rejoiced no less at the door of utterance which was granted to the ministers of the gospel. In short, I came away from this place rejoicing that the kingdom of Christ was advancing, and the kingdom of Satan falling like lightning from heaven. Afterwards I reviewed my whole exercises from the day in which I was first awakened to that moment, and saw that the foundation of my peace was built upon the Rock of ages; and then with the foolish virgins fell asleep for sometime till the Lord sent a messenger of Satan to buffet me. He suffered my corrupt nature to come alive again so that I became in my own eyes a sink of all abominations. I found by sad experience the truth of that Scripture, “The carnal mind is enmity against God.”
I was brought to think that all my former experience was a delusion which now became a terror to me, and so great was the strength of this temptation that it made me both ashamed and afraid to pray. Oh the terrible confusion my soul was in! but I endeavoured to still an accusing conscience from the Scriptures of truth, and then had an answer from several passages that I was converted. John i. 12; Romans viii. 30. Then I said, Can such a power of sin be upon any person who is converted, as I find in my heart? Sometimes I would wrestle with God for His grace to subdue my sins, and at other times would refrain from prayer through a sense of real guilt. I endeavoured to take some directions to myself which the Lord enabled me to give others formerly, but I could not. I may say that I underwent greater trouble by this discovery of my own heart than at my first awakening. I received a letter from a Christian friend to whom I had communicated part of my case, which, by the Lord’s blessing, was made useful to me by shewing me some of my mistakes; I shall therefore quote a passage of it here.
“I sympathize with your case. These things and much more of the sort, my own perverse heart has given me too much experience of; if it were not so with us, perhaps we would not be so readily convinced that we owe all to the grace, not that is in us, but to that which is in Christ Jesus, and to the daily and continual supply from Him. When one seems to be convinced that he has all from the Lord, yet he may be less convinced that even grace, as in himself already, received from the Lord, cannot do his business, but that he must fail if he be not continually receiving new supplies from the stores laid up in Christ, and from thence drawn out through faith wrought in him
by the Holy Ghost: Which persuasion keeps a sinner humble, and in continual dependance on the Lord, in the exercise of faith, and which every moment’s experience makes him thus to see to be indeed precious faith.
“I will not say any more upon this, my dear friend, but consider 2 Cor. xii. 7, 8, 9, 10. Though we have not that abundance of great revelations which were bestowed on Paul, yet our little allurements tend to humble us and keep faith in exercise. Paul had the thorn sent to him, and it sent him to God. And God’s answer was the sufficiency, not of anything of, or in Paul, but of the Lord’s own grace. He saw the reason why the thorn was sent unto him, namely, that he might not be too much exalted by what had been bestowed upon him. Had Paul then recourse against this thorn to anything that had been bestowed upon him? No; that would not have been like taking it as sent, that he might not be exalted. But what did he do? he besought the Lord thrice against this thorn, and got this answer; that the ‘Lord’s own grace was sufficient for him.’ He was still weak after all he had already received. But it was the strength of God, the power of Christ, that was to rest on him, and to carry him forward.”
When I read this letter, I saw my fearful error in restraining prayer before God, and His design in sending such a thorn. At the same time the Lord rebuked Satan, and strengthened me to overcome my sins, that had sung so many triumphs over me of late. The reasons or cause for which the Lord sent this grievous and sore trial, were the following:—
First.—To reprove me for my sloth and security, “thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee,” etc. (Jer. ii. 19). It was as if the Lord should say, Since the wickedness and backslidings of others did not serve to correct thee, thine own wickedness shall do it. Thou hast seen what David suffered for his backslidings, and how I made him to roar all the day long for his sins, yet this did not serve to correct thee, therefore thine own wickedness shall do it. “Know, therefore, and see, that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God.” And, indeed, I was made to know the bitterness of it; yet, alas! how soon is it forgot; so that I have still to learn the same lesson of watchfulness. Secondly.—The Lord sent me this trial for my uncharitable thoughts of those who had been tempted and overcome. Therefore, the Lord showed me that I had no strength of my own to withstand the temptation, more than others who were overcome.
* [I observed that a man’s trials or temptations are often in proportion to the grace received. Abraham had great faith, and it was greatly tried. The Apostle Paul had great revelations, and
* Passages between brackets indicate that these are omitted in the Gaelic translation.
he had a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him ; the Lord gives no grace to any person to be idle, for to whomsoever He giveth fine gold He trieth well (Rev. iii. 18).
Then I learned the great danger of unwatchfulness, for by it I am exposed to every snare of the devil, who is restless, seeking an opportunity to entangle me into some snare or other.]
I never began to sport with a temptation to sin, but I was thereby overcome and wounded. Proverbs vi. 27, 28. From hence I see more of the depth of Satan, how he uses all his endeavours to allure and draw me to the ways of sin and folly, and whenever he has gained his point, immediately turns accuser. O the unsearchable windings of the old serpent! And O the unsearchable wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, who can make the deceits of Satan turn out for the good of His people!
I see the only way to overcome temptations is to resist the very beginnings of sin in the heart. Sinful thoughts harboured there with delight have sometimes led me captive to sinful actions. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
About the beginning of March, 1744, the Lord began to restore my peace as a river after my long trouble since the first of November, 1743. He shewed the holy end He had in suffering me to be tried with such temptations, and that there was “a need-be” for everything which had befallen me.
But I observe, that no sooner one trouble goes than another comes in its room, and perhaps greater than the former. But blessed for ever be the name of the Lord, who, with the temptation, makes a way to escape. The Lord shewed me unspeakable comfort from these Scriptures anent my approaching troubles: “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. Be careful for nothing,” etc. (1 Peter v. 7). And in Psalm xxxvii. 5, 6, “Commit thy way unto the Lord. Trust in him and he shall bring it to pass. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me (Ps. cxxxviii. 8). But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil. iv. 19).”
14th March.—When I was at morning prayer I had more than ordinary sense of my wants, and also of the difficulties of a present life; but I was wonderfully refreshed from the above Scriptures, and the Lord helped me to gather all my wants both spiritual and temporal, and cast them upon Himself; whereby I found my spirit as sensibly eased as if I had gotten a heavy burden cast off my body.
When I went to work in my lawful calling, my spirit at the same time was rejoicing that I had got all my cares cast upon Christ as upon a faithful creator; and while musing upon these things, the fire did not burn afresh in my breast, which forced me to cry out, How great is the pleasure of religion! how sweet is it to cast all my care upon God! how good is it to believe that God careth for me! These thoughts made me work cheerfully at my lawful calling wherein I was placed.
My anxious cares were taken away, for I believed that the Lord would perfect that which concerned me in every way, and bring it to pass in the way which would tend most to the advancement of His own glory and my good.
I saw that whatever the Lord had promised to His people, He had also appointed means for obtaining. Then I saw that when I was under trouble, it was my duty, as a reasonable creature, to find out the means which God hath appointed for the accomplishing of such an end, or relieving from such a burden, etc. So that when I am found in the practical use of those means which God hath appointed to further my spiritual or temporal happiness, although the thing wherein I am labouring or avoiding should fall out contrary to that which I had designed or expected, I have real peace and comfort, especially as I had committed such a matter to the Lord, and was not negligent in the use of the means appointed by Him. Here is my peace, to be still in the use of means, looking to the Lord to give what issue He pleaseth (Ezek. xxxvi. 37).
How sweet is it to be making every day one bundle of all my cares and casting them over upon Christ, when faith can read these words, “He careth for me.” Blessed be God that the government is set upon His shoulders.
I think it would be impossible to bear my crosses and troubles, unless the Lord had shewed me something of the mystery of providence revealed in that word, Romans viii. 28, “We know that all things work together for good to them who love God, who are the called according to his purpose.” I find that Christ’s yoke is easy and His burden light, so that I may say, that I have neither crosses nor afflictions. Although it may seem strange, yet it is true, and all the reason I can give for it is the view that God hath given me in the passage just mentioned in the eighth of the Romans.
Whenever I meet with a cross I renew my submission to His will, but can never declare the pleasure my soul findeth in this exercise. I think that, though religion had no reward in a future state, I would not exchange the sweetness of it in the meantime for anything in the world.
[Now, when I find these very crosses and troubles which were wont to make me complain, become sweet and easy, it affordeth just ground of praise and thankfulness to the Lord, who hath bestowed such an unspeakable mercy upon me the chief of sinners. Therefore, since I believed that it is the sufferings and afflictions of the Lord Jesus Christ which make satisfaction for sin, and that God never afflicts His children but in a way of chastisement and not of satisfaction, I am resolved to be at the disposal of His infinite wisdom. But if He in love defers my chastisement, I will praise His name, and if He in faithfulness afflicts me, I will endeavour to praise His name. “He is the Lord, let him do unto me what seemeth him good,” and,
whatever He is pleased to do, I will be satisfied. I am not anxious how these things come to pass ; but all my care is how to be found prepared for either of these which God may please to send. “Thy will be done.”]
1st May, 1744.—I have been long in doubts about perfect freedom from sin, which now, in a great measure, are cleared up. At this time the Lord kindled vehement desires in my soul after holiness of nature and conformity to the image of His dear Son. I groaned in this tabernacle, being burdened with corruption, and said, “O that I had wings like a dove, then would I flee away and be at rest.” I can freely say that it was not any trouble that could befall my body or injury done to my name in this state which made me wish to depart, but a real desire to be free from in-dwelling sin and corruption ; but when I took a view of the universal corruption of my nature, and how deeply sin was rooted in every faculty of my soul and member of my body, my heart began to fail, and I said, How shall such a body of sin and death be destroyed, or how can I think of perfect freedom from it in another world ? How can I think that my heart will be so fixed on God as not to have one wandering thought through all eternity ? How can I believe that I shall serve God for ever without weariness ? No, I could scarcely believe it. Sometimes I considered the almighty power of God, which could make new heavens and a new earth ; then I said, Why not new natures, new bodies, and new spirits also ? Then the Lord convinced me of the certainty thereof, and kindled my desires more and more after the enjoyment of it. Oh ! how sweet was my meditation on the beauties of holiness. The following Scriptures were sweeter to my taste than the honey-comb :—Isaiah xiv. 3, “And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, that thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased ! the golden city ceased !” Even so I will say in a scriptural sense, When the Lord shall make me enter into an eternal rest in Himself, how hath the devil ceased ? how hath my unbelieving heart ceased ? how hath the tempting world ceased ? how have the secret springs of sin in the heart ceased ? how hath all weariness in the service of God ceased ? how hath secret love to sin ceased ? how hath everything that is contrary to a holy God in the creature ceased ? Eternal thanks and praise to God, who hath made us partakers of the divine nature and translated us out of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son. This was a sweet declaration in Isaiah lxv. 17, 18, 19, “For, behold, I create new heavens, and a new earth : and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create : for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people ; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.”
Here an objection of my mind was answered to the full : former things shall not come into my mind, for I was afraid that the remembrance of former evils would either breed shame or fear again ; but glory to God, that former things shall not come into my mind.
The next Scripture was, “For our conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile bodies,” etc.
Here is a change indeed, to be made on a vile body !O! almighty Redeemer, who can subdue all things to Thyself, hasten the day in which it shall be done. Praise to God, who hath wrought in my heart the faith of this resurrection by His Holy Spirit, and hath given me good hope through grace of a part in the first resurrection. With what joy and delight do I read that passage in 2 Cor. v. 7, 8, “For we walk by faith, and not by sight : we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord.” Absent from this body of clay which is such a clog on my spirit in Thy service, absent from these eyes which have carried my mind after a thousand vanities and unclean objects. O ! that I may be enabled to labour, so that, whether present or absent, I may be accepted of Him ; absent from the flesh wherein I am kept as in a prison, so that all I can do is only to look out at the windows of my prison-house. O ! when shall they be darkened ? O ! when shall I appear before God, in whose presence there is perfect freedom from sin and fulness of joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore ? May the day break and the shadows flee away ! Amen. Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus !
For some time after this the Lord gave me great light of mind and warming of affections. I rejoiced much at the undiscovered mystery of godliness which I believed would be fully revealed in due time ; and the Lord shewed me greater things than ever from the passages of Scripture above mentioned.
(To be continued.)
SINCE my spiritual appetite hath been so much weakened by the influence of airy trifles, let me feed the oftener on Christ. O to have my whole heart filled with His fulness ! He will have all of me, or nothing. Satan, indeed, pretends to be more social, and to be ready to accept of a part ; but it is merely because he knows, that if he get part, God, his rival, will have nothing at all.—John Brown.
O THAT river of redeeming Love, which issues from Jehovah’s heart ! that river of Blood, which springs from Calvary ! that river of Life which flows from beneath the Throne of God and of the Lamb ! that river of Gospel Truth which proceeds from the Spirit of all grace ! These, these, are the rivers that refresh the City of our God, in heaven or in earth.—John Brown.
Kitty Smith,
OR “THEY THAT SEEK ME EARLY, SHALL FIND ME.” *
CATHERINE SMITH was a native of Pabay, a small island in Loch Roag, where dwelt seven families. From their insular situation and poverty, it was not in the power of the parents to educate their children; but little Kitty is an example of the truth that all God’s children are taught of Him, for when only two years old she was observed to lay aside her playthings, and clasp her little hands with reverence during family worship; and at the age of three she was in the habit of repeating the 23rd Psalm, with such relish and fervour as showed that she looked to the Good Shepherd in the character of a lamb of His flock. Her parents taught her also the Lord’s Prayer, which she repeated duly, not only at her stated times, but often in the silence of night. She frequently pressed the duty of prayer, not only on the other children, but on her parents, and she told her father that, in their absence, when she would ask a blessing on the food left for the children, her brothers and sisters would mock at, and beat her for doing so. At another time, when she was probably about six years old, she was out with her companions herding cattle, when she spoke to them of the comeliness of Christ. They, probably to tempt her, said He was black. She left them, and returned home much cast down, and said, “The children vexed me very much to-day. I will not go with them, for they said that Christ was black, and that grieved my spirit.” Her parents asked her what she replied to that. “I told them,” she said, “that Christ is white and glorious in His apparel.”
It is probable that Kitty was sufficiently enlightened to discern the moral comeliness of the gracious Redeemer, while her thoughtless comrades did not extend their ideas beyond personal beauty. They would have said anything that might produce the effect of provoking their playfellow, whose more intelligent spirit grieved for them that they “saw no beauty in Him,” whom her soul loved, “that they should desire Him.” Perhaps no Christian character is truly confirmed in faith and patience, without some trial of persecution, which both shows to the heart its own corruption, by the irritating effects of gainsaying, and affords an opportunity of proving that we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. This dear child had her trial adapted to her age and sphere, and came forth on the Lord’s side holding fast the Word of Life, in as firm a way as a much more experienced Christian might have done.
The Rev. Dr. Macdonald of Ferintosh having preached in the parish of Uig, Kitty’s parents were among the many who went to hear him. On their return they mentioned what he had said
* Extracted from “History of Revivals of Religion in the British Isles.”
about the formality of much that is called prayer, and the ignorance of many as to its spirituality; they stated, according to their recollection of the sermon, that many had old useless prayers, and greatly needed to learn to pray with the Spirit. The child observed this, and two days after, said to her mother, “It is time for me to give over my old form of prayer.” Her mother replied, “Neither you nor your prayers are old;” but she rejoined, “I must give them over, and use the prayers which the Lord will teach me.” After this she withdrew to retired spots for prayer. At one time her younger sister returned without her, and on being asked where she had left Kitty, she said, “I left her praying.” Her father said that he had often sat up in bed listening to her sweet young voice, presenting this petition with heartfelt earnestness, “Oh, redeem me from spiritual and eternal death.”
From the remoteness of her dwelling, Kitty had never attended any place of public worship—but the Sabbath was her delight—and often would she call in her brothers and sisters from the play in which they were thoughtlessly engaged, asking them to join in prayer and other devout exercises, and warning them, that if they profaned the day, and disliked God’s worship, they must perish. Her mother observing the intent gaze with which she looked on a large fire, enquired what she saw in the fire? She replied, “I am seeing that my state would be awful if I were to fall into that fire, even though I should be immediately taken out; but wo is me, those who are cast into hell fire will never come out thence.” Another day, when walking by the side of a precipice, and looking down, she exclaimed to her mother, “How fearful would our state be if we were to fall down this rock, even though we should be lifted up again; but they who are cast into the depths of hell will never be raised therefrom.”
One day her mother found her lying on a bench with a sad countenance, and addressed some jocular words to her with a view to cheer her. But the child’s heart was occupied with solemn thoughts of eternity; and instead of smiling, she answered gravely, “O mother, you are vexing my spirit, I would rather hear you praying.” In truth, eternity was very near her, and the Spirit of God was preparing her for entering it. As she got up one morning, she said, “O, are we not wicked creatures who have put Christ to death?” Her mother, curious to hear what one so young could say on such a subject, replied, “Christ was put to death, Kitty, long before we were born.” The child, speaking with an understanding heart, said, “Mother, I am younger than you, but my sins were crucifying Him.” After a pause, she added, “What a wonder that Christ could be put to death when He Himself was God, and had power to kill every one; indeed, they only put Him to death as man, for it is impossible to kill God.” She used often to repeat passages from Peter Grant’s spiritual songs, such as, “It is the blood of the Lamb that
precious is.” When she came to the conclusion of the verse, “It is not valued according to its worth,” she would in touching terms, lament the sad truth, that His blood is so lightly thought of. Being present when some pious persons spoke of those in Rev. vii., who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, she said, “Is it not wonderful that, while other blood stains what is dipped in it, this cleanses and makes white?”
Murdoch MacLeod being engaged in the valuable duties of a Scottish elder in the little island of Pabay, Kitty wished much to hear him, but from bashfulness was ashamed to enter the house where he was engaged in worship; she therefore climbed up to the window and sat there till all was over. Being asked what she had heard, she said she was amazed to hear that Christ offered Himself as a Saviour to many in our land who rejected Him, and that He was now going to other and more remote quarters to win souls. She then added with the pathos of a full heart, “O, who knows but He may return here again?”
Soon after she had completed her seventh year, she was attacked by that sickness which opened her way to the kingdom of heaven. When her father asked whom she pitied most of those she would leave behind, she replied that she pitied every one whom she left in a Christless state. She suffered much from thirst during her illness, and her mother, reluctant to give her so much cold water as she longed for, fell upon the evil expedient of telling her that the well was dried up. The following day, when she saw water brought in for household purposes, poor Kitty’s heart was grieved, and she said, “O, mother dear, was it not you who told the great lie yesterday, when you said the well was dry? O, never do so again, for it angers God.” During her illness she was enabled almost literally to obey the command, “Pray without ceasing,” and was often interceding with the Lord to look down and visit her native place. On the morning of her last day on earth, her father said, “There is reason for thankfulness, that we see another day.” Kitty opened her eyes and said, “O, Holy One of Israel, save me from death,” a petition often used when in perfect health, and evidently referring to spiritual and eternal death. Throughout the day she was generally silent, when her father remarked, saying, “I do not hear you praying as usual,” to which she replied, “Dear father, I pray without ceasing, though not because you desire me to do so.” In her last moments she was heard to say, “O, redeem me from death.” Her father, leaning over her, said, “Kitty, where are you now?” To which the reply was, “I am on the shore,” and immediately her soul was launched into the great ocean of eternity. In December, 1829, this lowly child was carried from her poor native island to the blessed region where the redeemed of the Lord find their home, and her name has left a sweet perfume behind it. “The memory of the just is blessed” (Prov. x. 7).
The late William MacLeod, Borraig, Glendale, Skye.
WE regret that no notice was taken before now in the magazine of the death of Mr. William MacLeod, elder, Borraig, Glendale, which took place on 27th June, 1914. He was born in the year 1830, and thus lived to the ripe age of 84 years.
The Lord uses the ways and means He sees proper to awaken sinners, and it was, at the age of 46, while laid aside with a bodily ailment, that William was brought to realise that he was a lost sinner. In this state of mind he continued, seeking peace with God and his conscience on the terms of the covenant of works, until convinced that “by the works of the law there shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God.” When the Lord’s time came to deliver him from his bondage, He revealed Himself to him in the vision Jacob saw at Bethel—”A ladder set up on earth and the top of it reaching to heaven.” In this vision he got a faith’s view of Christ in His finished work, and was enabled to cast his guilty soul upon Him. The authority of God’s Word was to William an end of all controversy, and the treatment which that Word received at the hands of the “Higher Critics” was a source of great grief to him. He therefore hailed with pleasure the Free Presbyterian Church, and willingly threw in his lot with and remained a loyal member and office-bearer of that body until his death. He based his authority for taking this step particularly on the 8th chapter of Romans, and, strange to say, this was the chapter he wished to be read to him shortly before he died.
He was much concerned about the low state of Christ’s cause, and seldom did he engage in prayer but this would be the substance of his petitions. We often admired his diligence to be at the means of grace, and the efforts he made on stormy, wintry days to cross the hill to be present in the house of God.
He was evidently much harassed by “the enemy” for some time before he died, but the Lord lit his candle so that it did shine full bright, and the last words that could be understood from him were “Christ has made the way clear by His blood.” Like all our congregations, Glendale has suffered in the removal by death of those who were valiant for the truth, for, of the five elders ordained with William, only one now remains.
We are sorry to add that, since her husband’s death, Mrs. MacLeod was also taken away; we believe, to be forever with the Lord. She was a woman of a gentle, loving, quiet disposition, and highly respected among the people. Both will be sadly missed in the congregation. May the Lord raise up others to take the place of those who are called home! We desire to express our sympathy with the members of the family in their double bereavement.
N. M’I.