MR. KELLY was born at the township of Mugary, in the parish of Portree, Skye, in April, 1849. He lived “without God and without hope” in the world till he attained the age of twenty-one years. When he was nineteen he came to Glasgow, having nothing in view but worldly prospects. This took place in 1868. In the year 1870 he was awakened to a realisation of his lost and guilty condition before God, under a sermon preached by the late Rev. John Macqueen, of Strontian and Daviot. Mr. Macqueen assisted often at that time in the M’Donald Free Church, Maitland Street, Glasgow. It was during the Communion season of the year above stated that “the day-spring from on high visited” the poor benighted soul of Donald Kelly.
Many Highlanders in Glasgow traced the beginning of the work of grace in their souls to Mr. Macqueen’s preaching of “the gospel of the grace of God” in that congregation; and many of the Lord’s people delighted to recall these times to the end of their earthly pilgrimage. We often heard them comparing notes as to their experiences under the preaching of that eminent servant of Christ. This was particularly the case with the late Mr. John Campbell, elder, St. Jude’s, and Mr. Kelly. We do not remember of having been in their company in private at any time without their referring to these days of their espousals. Mr. Kelly became a member in full communion with the Church in the year 1872, and was made an elder in the year 1876. In the year 1879 he married a daughter of that eminent man of God, the late Mr. Hector MacLean, Hamara, Glendale, Skye. There were seven children born to them, two of whom died in childhood, leaving two sons and three daughters to share in the widow’s mourning over their great loss, which was his great gain and everlasting happiness.
The writer met him for the first time on the first Sabbath of May, 1892, in the Mains Street (Gaelic) Free Church. That was an anxious year to all who loved the creed and principles of the Free Church of Scotland, for the passing of the Declaratory Act that year made such drastic changes that, as then constituted, she ceased to be the Church of their love. They felt concerning her that the only way they could deal with her was: “Plead with your mother, plead; for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband; let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst” (Hosea ii. 2, 3). What was to be in the future was known only to the Lord, but the divisions in the Free Church caused searchings of heart among her truest sons and daughters. Mr. Kelly had his own share of these trials, and felt very keenly the reproaches cast on the Lord and on His truth. A faint hope was left them, because an appeal was made to the General Assembly of 1893 to have that infamous Act repealed. But when the matter came before that Assembly, every hope was blasted of obtaining any redress from that Court.
It was at that juncture that the Rev. D. Macfarlane tabled a protest in his own name and that of all who might follow him to the effect that he was separating his connection with that so-called Free Church, and would set up the Free Church on her original foundation. This action on his part gladdened the hearts of many. The following week, the elders of Mains Street sent a request to the Rev. Evan Gordon to call a meeting of the Kirk-Session. This he did. When the Session was constituted, they told him that the reason why they asked him to call the meeting was that they wished to know what position the Mains Street congregation intended to take towards the protest tabled by Rev. D. Macfarlane, and the separation effected by it. Rev. E. Gordon offered to give them an explanation of the Declaratory Act, but Mr. Kelly, Mr. Murdo Macdonald, and Mr. Murdo Murray told him that the time for lecturing had passed away, and the time for taking action had come, and that all they wanted to know was whether he would now agree to call a meeting of the congregation, so as to give them an opportunity to decide what should be done by them as a congregation in face of the circumstances confronting them. When Mr. Gordon saw that they meant business, he rose up and left the meeting without closing the Session. The above three elders and eleven deacons held a consultation, and appointed these elders and one deacon to go to the lodgings of the writer (who was till then an assistant to Mr. Gordon), to inform him of the fact that they had separated from the Mains Street congregation, as constituted under the new creed and constitution, and that they were to adhere to the protest tabled at last Assembly. The writer promised them that he would not see them in a difficulty, so far as he could. The following Sabbath these elders kept two prayer meetings in private houses. The Sabbath thereafter three services were held in what was then called the Blythswood Halls, at which about three hundred were present. The most of these came from Mains Street congregation. Six weeks after this St. Jude’s Church was rented, which has since been purchased and renovated by the congregation and the assistance of many friends.
Mr. Kelly did his very utmost to assist by holding services in the hall, in the absence of the assistants of the congregation, and he often held the eleven o’clock Gaelic service in the church in the writer’s absence. No man could have been more willing than he to do all that he could for the benefit of the congregation of St. Jude’s. His willingness and efforts were very highly appreciated by the writer and his elders, and by the congregation. He also acted satisfactorily as Session Clerk since 1911.
Mr. Kelly was excellent company in private. He had a large store of the sayings and doings of the worthies of his early days, who have long since gone to their rest, and none could relate them more correctly than he. He knew intimately many of the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and he left the impression on the minds of all who happened to be for any length of time in his company that they held a warm place in his affections. His great delight was to be in their company, and to have their fellowship. This was very evidently the case at the Communion seasons in St. Jude’s, for he left the impression on every one that he much rejoiced in their being present with us. The same thing was true when he went to Communions to Skye and other places in the West Highlands. So that he will be greatly missed in many places throughout the Free Presbyterian Church, and by almost all our people.
Mr. Kelly’s health began to decline five or six years ago. He had a bad attack of influenza, which brought on bronchial catarrh, of which he never got quite cured. It returned with every attack of cold, so that it caused him to have a severe cough. Last October he had a rather severe attack of shingles, which weakened seriously his constitution. Still, no one imagined that his end was near. On Thursday, the 8th day of January, he did not feel well in the morning, but went out to attend to his duties. Through the day he felt worse, and came home. During that night and the following day, he felt rather sick; but he got up on Saturday afternoon, and felt much better. He rose on the Sabbath day, and was considered much better. On Monday he was fairly well, but at night he became much worse, and the doctor was sent for. Still, no one thought the end was so near. When the doctor came he diagnosed the case as one of pneumonia. Through the night he became gradually weaker, and passed peacefully away to be for ever with Christ at six o’clock on Tuesday morning.
The writer has received the following statement from his bereaved widow and daughters, which he judges should be inserted here. It reads as follows:—
“It was manifest that the love of Christ was shed abroad in his heart. He used to long for the Sabbath day, so that it was evident that the 122nd Psalm was very applicable to him, as regards the joy he had in going up with his fellow-worshippers to the house of God. His love to the Lord’s people was great, and it grieved him to hear others speaking disparagingly of them. He often complained, in public and in private, of the plague of his heart-indwelling sin.
“On the Saturday evening before his end came, he said to a friend who came in, that the earthly house of his tabernacle was coming down. On the Sabbath day it was thought that he was improving, as he rose to the fire for some time. At family worship that night he prayed most earnestly that every member of the family would be made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ; that the cause of Christ would be advanced in the world; and that the glory of the latter days would be hastened. It was not till the early hours of Monday morning that his condition became alarming. It was then noticed that his mind wandered, because he said that he had been very busy working all night. When he was told that he had been in bed all night, he said, ‘Although a fool would be bruised in a mortar, his foolishness will not depart.’ He then said that he thought his system was breaking up, and added repeatedly: ‘It’s I that should be thankful to the Lord for His goodness to me.’ All day on Monday he was fairly well, and took a little nourishment now and then, but about ten p.m. he had a bad fainting turn. When he rallied, he asked Mrs. Kelly to gather the family and read God’s Word. On being asked whether he wished any particular portion read, he replied: ‘The whole Word is precious.’ The fourteenth chapter of John’s gospel was read. Afterwards it was said to him that it would be well for those for whom the house of many mansions was prepared, when he replied; ‘It would; and that it was on what Christ had done he was resting his soul for eternity, notwithstanding the stormy passage he had going through the world.’ When he was reminded of the sufferings of Christ in the world, he said, ‘My sufferings should not be compared with the Saviour’s sufferings.’ When asked how he felt, he answered: ‘I have no pain, and I never felt better.’ Later on he lifted up both his hands, and on being asked why he did so, he said, ‘It is the Sabbath and I have to address the people’; and quoted the words, ‘I have finished my course.’ The expressions which followed were inaudible, but it was understood that he finished the verses: ‘I have finished my course; I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing’ (2 Tim. iv. 7, 8). He was constantly looking upwards, and from the happy expression of his countenance, it looked as if he were seeing beyond natural vision. He was conscious almost to the end, and repeatedly said, ‘I am going home.’ He passed away peacefully at six a.m. on Tuesday, 13th January, 1920.”
The writer desires to express his deepest sympathy with the lonely widow and the fatherless children. “Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth: for the faithful fail from among the children of men.”
N. C.
A sketch of the late Mrs. MacTaggart, Winnipeg, is held over till next issue.
We regret to learn the death of Mr. Ewen Mackinnon, elder, Elgoll, Skye, and express our sympathy with bereaved relatives and congregation. We hope to have a fuller notice in a future issue.