Brotherly love, being a grace wrought by the Holy Spirit in the souls of His people, is a clear sign of regeneration. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death” (I John iii. 14). Like all the other graces, it finds its exercise in the communion of the Holy Ghost, in fellowship in the truth and spiritual experience, and extends its interest in bearing one another’s burdens in things temporal, should such a need arise. “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (I John iii. 18). Brotherly love is thus a very different thing from amiability of character or kindness of disposition. Such features may be found in many religious people in whom there is no brotherly love uniting them to the children of God. But brotherly love is a spiritual affection which discerns the beginnings of the image of Christ being traced by the finger of God’s Spirit in a man or woman, thus forming a spiritual union, profitable to both, and encouraging in their common efforts to advance the Cause of Christ in the world.
When one of the Lord’s people is taken from this Valley of Baca to appear before God in the heavenly Sion, all who felt spiritually united to such feel the loss, not only to themselves personally, but also to the Church at large. When such were useful in the vineyard and known to be of those who sighed and cried because of the abominations done in the land, the sense of loss is more profound although it is realised that they have finished their course with joy and entered the inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled and which will never fade away. Such were the feelings of many when they heard of the death of the worthy man whose name appears at the head of this notice. He was one of the faithful of the land, belonging to a stamp of Christian fast passing from our midst, who knew the value of vital godliness and were not disposed to accept that which bore the name but lacked the reality.
He was born in Penefer in the Parish of Portree in 1869 of respectable parents who belonged to the Established Church. Of their spiritual condition he could say little, but he had the inestimable blessing of a godly grandmother, Mrs. MacKenzie, Strome, who often spoke to him of his soul’s interests and who was much pleased with the evidences of early piety she saw in her grandson. It appears there was a godly neighbour near the home in Penefer and young Donald would often enter this house at the time of worship. He was of the opinion that the prayers of this man at worship were the means the Lord used to bring him under soul concern, so that, at the early age of five years, he was seeking for mercy from the God against whom he had sinned. He continued in this frame of mind for many years, praying and reading the Word of God, when he became able to do so. He mentioned also being impressed by a sermon by some Free Church schoolmaster, whose name we have been unable to discover, on the 5th chapter of Romans dealing with the subject of saving faith. When about 14 years of age he was, one day, herding the cattle alone, and exercised about his soul, when he felt the drawing power of the Redeemer and was enabled to close with Him in the everlasting gospel. “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me” (John xii. 32). “For the love of Christ constraineth us” (II Cor. v. 14). As he was very reticent, it is regretted that more details of this time in his life are not available. That the change was real and effectual, his after-life proved. Both while engaged in seafaring and after settling down at home, his love to the Word of God and separation from the ungodly world was manifest. “I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldst keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John xvii. 15-16).
He married Catherine MacKinnon, a daughter of Ewen MacKinnon, who was an elder in our congregation at Broadford. We have been told that she also had been brought to the knowledge of Christ when young and proved a true helpmate for Donald, encouraging him in the work of the Lord when, in later years, he began to hold meetings in various parts. She was apparently of a quiet and reserved disposition, living a consistent life in the fear of the Lord. She was taken away from him in 1942 when she died in Raasay.
He was received as a communicant by the Portree Kirk Session in 1913, and was ordained an elder there in 1920. He was often heard in his last days to speak with regret of two things. The first was that he was so long in making a public profession of his interest in Christ. While he doubtless felt the weight and solemnity of taking such a serious step, he appeared to feel that he had waited too long. Of his right to be at the Lord’s Table, none who knew him could have any doubt.
The other thing he regretted was that he was so long in leaving the Established Church, although he was many years in our Church before he made a public profession. He was warmly attached to the stand made in 1893 and to the principles and contentions of the Free Presbyterian Church. He realised the need of such a testimony in a day of backsliding, and could not tolerate any half-heartedness in a matter so closely bound up with the honour of Christ and the good of souls. He read quite a lot and often spoke of the Reformers and the doctrines of grace in which his soul found the food it needed. All who were of the same mind as himself in these matters found in him a warm friend who encouraged them and prayed for them.
In his later years he became resident in the Island of Raasay, where he was taking the meetings until the last two years in which he was confined to bed with a trying and often painful illness. He was most patient in this dispensation and afraid of complaining. Shortly before the end, when very ill, he was heard to say, “The Lord was good to me all my life.” Satan took advantage of his bodily weakness to attack his soul and his hope for eternity. While not a stranger to the devices of the Evil One before, it seems the conflict became more severe during this time. This was known only to those near him as he did not believe in showing his troubles to the world. Near the end he appeared to attain a greater measure of peace and to feel that the joy of salvation had been restored to him. He was faithfully and tenderly nursed by his daughters until the end came in September of last year when he passed away, we firmly believe, to be with the Saviour, who loved him and gave Himself for him. To his various relatives we extend our sincere sympathy.
Donald Nicolson was a man of prayer. His petitions were characterised by honesty of expression, a fruit of his natural frankness, salted by grace. When very ill on one occasion he was heard to say, on apparently waking from sleep: “Grant it; grant it.” When asked what he was praying for, he replied, “For the Holy Spirit to come to this place.” His prayers are now ended but the need for the Holy Spirit to come to Raasay, Portree and other places is great indeed. May the Lord, in His infinite mercy, grant us all the spirit of prayer that the Holy Ghost would come to raise up a seed who would faithfully and lovingly follow the Lamb through good and evil report as our fathers were enabled to do.
“Instead of those thy fathers dear,
Thy children Thou may’st take,
And in all places of the earth
Then noble princes make” (Ps. xlv. 16).
—D.M.