THE subject of this brief sketch was a native of Farr, Sutherlandshire, where he spent the most of his days, with the exception of annual visits to the United States in his younger days in the pursuit of his trade as a mason. When the great change that made him a follower of Jesus took place we are not in a position to say, but that it did take place was plainly evident. When the Free Presbyterian Church was formed in 1893, Alexander O’Brian joined those who raised a banner for the truth, and in his latter days he declared that he was glad he had taken that stand. Though a fluent speaker, both in Gaelic and English, and a gifted man, he could never be prevailed upon to preside at meetings, but when asked to speak to the “question,” he did so with appropriateness of speech and profit to the hearers. There was an originality in his manner of presenting the truth that gave a piquancy to his words and arrested the attention of the hearers. Of him it could be said, especially in his latter years, that he brought out of “his treasure things new and old.” There was also a beautiful spiritual spirit pervading his exercises that clearly proclaimed he had much communion with his Lord. The last three years of his life were spent at Wick, and alike at the prayer-meetings and on the “Question Days” of the Communion he took part in the exercises of these meetings to the edification of the hearers and the comfort of the Lord’s people. It was a pleasure and delight to visit him in the home of his niece, Mrs Macaskill (formerly of Glasgow), who attended to him with devotion. His delight was in the things pertaining to the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus, and if, at any stage, the conversation turned into other channels he soon diverted it back. In him was exemplified to a remarkable degree the truth of the words, “The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more to the perfect day” (Provs. iv. 18). The illness from which he was not to recover struck him down some time before the April Communion in Wick. He rallied for a time, and expressed the hope that he would be able to come out to the services, but it was not to be. He was much weaker than he realised. He knew he was dying, and when asked if he was feeling pain he would cheerfully answer, “He has been always very good to me, and I must patiently wait at the ferry until it is His time to take me over.” The heavenliness of his mind and the spirituality of his conversation during these “waiting” days were refreshing and uplifting. Near the end he expressed a desire to be removed to his native place, and he was granted his wish by his friends. After his arrival at Swordly, a friend from Armadale paid him a visit, and repeated in his hearing the words, “Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord.” The words evidently appealed to the dying man, for a heavenly smile lit up his face, says the narrator. Soon after this, at the end of May, he passed away, we believe, to his everlasting rest. His mortal remains were laid in Farr burying-ground, where rests the dust of a goodly company of the Lord’s chosen ones. He is the richer, we are the poorer that tarry behind. “Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men” (Ps. xii. 1).