MURDO Mackenzie, the subject of this notice was born at Clashnessie, in the Parish of Assynt, 74 year ago. He had the privilege of an eminently pious mother who often wrestled for him and the other members of the family at a throne of grace, and endeavoured by word and example to bring them up in the fear and admiration of the Lord. No doubt the pious atmosphere in which he was brought up had a salutary effect in keeping him from gross outward sins, but good as that is, nothing short of the effectual work of the Holy Spirit can change the heart, and Murdo lived a stranger to the power that can take a sinner from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God, till he was over 40 years of age.
Being of a reticent disposition he never spoke much about himself and it is not possible to give an account of his experiences when the change took place, but judging by his fear of delusion and the jealousy with which he watched the motions of his heart, we must conclude that he went through deep and searching experiences, and nothing would satisfy him but what would stand the test of the Word of God. He remarked to one who knew him once that there was a time in his life, when he got the liberty of the gospel, that he had no doubt of his interest in Christ. Christ and His righteousness was the only foundation of his hope for eternity, and he often expressed to those with whom he was familiar his dread of resting upon anything, short of Christ and Him crucified. He was much given to secret prayer, and passed much of his time day and night pleading with God in secret. Whenever a duty in connection with the Cause of Christ was put before him he would resort to secret prayer for counsel and direction. He related to one who gave the writer some of this information, that he often got promises from the Lord at these times, and he would add: “I can testify that not one of His promises has failed me.”
He was admitted a member in full communion in 1922, and there being an election of Office-bearers in 1925, he was elected by the members of the congregation to the Office of the Eldership, in which office he served faithfully and diligently till his death. Along with his brother elder he conducted the services in the Stoer Church, when the minister or the missionary was not present. Though a most intelligent man he did not speak in public, but always read a portion of a discourse from the old divines. He was not a stranger to the assaults and temptations of Satan, he was very much cast down in his mind, he had his times of darkness when he went mourning without the sun. He had also his share of troubles and trials in this world; his wife died at the age of 51, after they had been married about 15 years. After her death he closed his own house and went to live with his cousin.
About a year before his death his health began to fail and he suffered much pain, but such was his attachment to the means of grace that he walked almost every Sabbath for months, from his home to the church, a distance of over a mile, and his answer to any who would say that he was causing himself too much suffering by attending church was that he would not be able very long to wait on the Lord in His means on earth. He could say with the Psalmist: “I joyed when to the house of God, go up they said to me.” About two months before he died, he had a temptation that his own efforts might merit salvation, the enemy coming to him asking what he was going to do with all that he ever did in connection with the cause of Christ. At last he got an answer which freed him from the temptation. “I want everything I ever did to be burnt,” he said, “and to flee as a poor sinner to the Lord Jesus Christ.” He could say with the Apostle Paul: “I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord.” After this deliverance he was in a very happy frame of mind which continued to the end. He was fully persuaded that it was near. The last time the writer saw him, which was on a Monday, he said: “I am very happy but there is so much deceit in the heart, that I fear I may be deceiving myself.” He passed away the following Wednesday to be forever, we believe, with the Lord.
His removal is a great loss to the congregation of Assynt, to the Free Presbyterian Church, and to the cause of Christ. He was a frequent pleader at the throne of grace for the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ and the salvation of his fellow men. He departed this life on the 2nd February, 1938. “Mark thou the perfect and behold the man of uprightness because that surely of this man the latter end is peace.” To his sisters and relatives we extend our sympathy.—A. MacA.