The wise man says that the memory of the just is blessed. It may therefore be profitable to recall something of the life of one who lately passed from our midst to be with the Lord whom she loved and followed throughout a long life which the Lord was pleased to grant her in this wilderness. Margaret MacLean was born at Cove, about 3 miles from the village of Inverasdale in Gairloch about the year 1870. Of a family of 3 sons and 2 daughters she was the youngest and had the blessing of a godly upbringing, her father especially, a fisherman to trade, being known as a man who feared the Lord, although he made no public profession of his faith. When she lost her father at an early age, she felt his death deeply and always referred to him with the greatest affection. It is often true that parents who have taught their children from infancy to walk in the paths of wisdom have not lived to see their labours bear fruit in their own families, nevertheless their children will rise up to call them blessed. Parents ought therefore not to grow weary in well-doing, for in due season they will reap if they faint not.
Her connection with the Free Presbyterian Church came about through her marriage at the age of 24 years to Alexander MacLeod of Braes, Inverasdale. Although her family remained in the Free Church in spite of the Declaratory Act of 1892 becoming part of the law and constitution of the Church, her husband had already severed all connection with the Declaratory Act Free Church, and insisted that the marriage should be performed by Rev. J. R. MacKay, who was at that time minister of the Free Presbyterian Church in Gairloch, much against the wishes of the bride’s parents. Her husband made no public profession of the gospel, but those who knew him had no doubt that he was a gracious man. Mrs. MacLeod was deprived of her husband in 1911, and was left with a family of 3 daughters and 2 sons to care for. She was called to suffer family affliction which she bore uncomplainingly in the spirit of meekness. One of her twin sons, Roderick, was killed in a motor cycle accident at the August grouse shooting in 1930 while working as gamekeeper on the Fairburn Estates in Ross-shire. This bereavement greatly upset her, and severely tried her in her faith. Two years later she again tasted the cup of sorrow when a daughter died in the Royal Infirmary, Inverness. Mrs. MacLeod left Gairloch to reside in Inverness in 1929 and remained till the time of her last illness in 1956.
From her earliest years Mrs. MacLeod was the subject of religious impressions and while quite young had solemn views of death and eternity, particularly when listening to the preaching of the gospel in public. How these impressions were deepened into true conviction of sin which, we believe, from remarks which she made about this period of her life was a gradual and protracted work, or how deliverance came, we are unable to say. It is very likely that she obtained relief under the preaching of Rev. Duncan MacKenzie, while minister at Gairloch. She was received into full membership by the Gairloch session who “unhesitatingly admitted her as a member in full communion” with the congregation in October 1920.
Some time after becoming a member a cloud of darkness came over her mind, which made her take to her bed thinking that she had been deceiving herself and doubting whether she had saving grace. She continued for some time under this temptation. Her former minister, Rev. Duncan MacKenzie wrote her a letter from Kames which gave her great comfort and the words which he quoted, “Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool”—Isaiah 1, verse 18, seem to have entered her heart with power and comfort and the cloud was gone. She rose at once off her bed and rejoiced as in the days of her youth. Ever after when these words were quoted in public worship in God’s House, they revived in her something of the joy and gladness of that season.
She was not a stranger to the temptations of the evil one. About 2 years before coming to Inverness, while still at Inverasdale, she was sorely tried with low views of her own unworthiness, concluding that she was not worthy to partake of the least of the Lord’s mercies, even to the extent of refusing to take her daily food. Her health was affected and she could not sleep and fears were felt by her friends that her mind might give way under the strain. The late John MacAulay, Applecross was missionary at Laide and Inverasdale at the time and on returning on Monday from Inverasdale, he called at a friend’s house at Laide and told her that Mrs. MacLeod was in poor health. She went by mail car the following morning, accompanied by Mrs. MacLeod’s daughter, to Inverasdale. Mrs.MacLeod confided to her the heavy trial through which she was passing, but was prevailed on to take some food. She slept that night and before her friend left her the following evening she was much refreshed and had made up her mind to go to the Ullapool communion in 2 weeks’ time. Here Rev. Neil MacIntyre preached on the Friday evening from part of the 7th chapter of Genesis, taking for his subject the building of the Ark, the various rooms which were constructed inside the Ark, and the people who were to be taken into those rooms, with special reference to Christ and his people. This sermon was greatly blessed to her and from this time she was never more troubled with this temptation.
Mrs. MacLeod was a woman of prayer and often obtained indications of the Lord’s will in secret. He has promised that He will reveal His secret to those who fear Him and show them His covenant. At one time at Inverness towards the end of the last war, when an air raid warning was sounded, she went at once to her knees. The promise given to Hezekiah was laid strongly on her mind, “Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the King of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. By the way that he came, by the same way shall he return and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord. For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake”—Isaiah xxxvii, vv. 33-35. She felt such strength and assurance from these words that she thought of going down to the men on home guard duty to tell them that they might go home. It is a remarkable fact that Inverness passed untouched by bombing from the air through the war.
The winter before Mrs. MacLeod left Inverness to stay with her daughter, Mrs. Neil MacLeod, Post Office, Inverasdale where she ended her earthly course, she was greatly weakened by an attack of pneumonia and seldom after appeared in church. One stormy Sabbath morning, shortly after she had recovered from her illness, she dressed and prepared to go to the morning service as usual. Her son, Neil who with his wife carefully tended and nursed her in her illness, attempted to dissuade her and finally the force of the storm compelled her to stay indoors. She broke down weeping, but as she made her way back to her bed room the words came to her, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness”—ii Cor. xii, v. 9, with such power and sweetness that her disappointment was at once removed and she submitted to the Lord’s will. She had some premonition that she would never again be able to attend God’s House. This promise remained with her to the end, even when memory and the powers of nature were greatly impaired. This godly woman finished her earthly course in April 1957, and her earthly remains were laid to rest in the Gairloch Graveyard.
Mrs. MacLeod has left behind a fragrant memory among her friends who knew her. She was a woman of sterling worth and unpretentious piety, given much to secret prayer, exercised over the declensions of the dark day in which we live, bold in re proving sin, and genuinely attached to the Saviour and his Cause and people. To her daughters and to her son in Inverness who survive, we extend our sincere sympathy.—A.F.M.