We already referred to the late Rev. D. N. MacLeod, Tarbert, Harris. That his twelve years’ labour there were richly blessed cannot be denied. The day that he took leave of his congregation for Ullapool will ever remain green in our memories because old and young deeply bemoaned his departure. Wherever he preached crowds flocked to hear him.
“There was a young girl under soul concern in my congregation,” he told me, “one for whom I found it easy to pray. While thus engaged on her behalf, God made it clear to me that her sojourn in this Valley of Baca would be very short. One Sabbath I preached from 1 Timothy 1:15, ‘This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. This girl was present. I felt greatly assisted as I proceeded with the service. While memory lasts I hope to remember the gracious and heavenly look on her youthful countenance as she drank in the gospel of salvation.” That day, and in that pew, the Holy Spirit betrothed her immortal soul to the Lord Jesus in an everlasting covenant. Soon afterwards she was laid aside with a severe illness which hastened her to an early grave.
In the divine providence, it was our lot to attend her deathbed. It was a most solemn experience. The incident is as vividly before our mind now as if it were yesterday. The appointed hour for her departure had come, so there could be no delay. “The Master is come and calleth for thee.” She continued conscious to the last. She told us to sing Psalm 17:15;
But as for me, I thine own face
in righteousness will see;
And with thy likeness, when I wake,
I satisfy’d shall be.
This we did with many tears. No one seemed to enjoy and understand its meaning as dear Catherine did. She spoke of none but of Him with whom she longed to be.
Drawing near to the end she said to the elder who was there: “I want to sing Psalm 118 verse 19, as I pass over to the other side of Jordan.”
O set ye open unto me
the gates of righteousness:
Then will I enter into them,
and I the Lord will bless.
She sang it quite audibly, and then gently closing her eyes entered, we believe, into the palace of the King.
Mr Macleod, Ullapool, was an able preacher of the gospel. We still remember several of his appropriate texts.
On Galatians 2:20
In preaching from the text, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”, Gal. 2:20, he said, “The Holy Spirit wrought a marvellous change in Paul’s soul. “Bha an t’atharrachadh soilleir do na h-uile.” (The change was obvious to all). “Paul was strong in faith that day when he said ‘who loved me, and gave himself for me,’ as if he were the only person in the world. But you are saying, ‘That is far too high for me. I cannot reach to those heights.’ Well, dear friend, nothing short of this shall stand for us in the day when God shall judge the quick and the dead. Therefore do not be afraid if the truth warrants you to say, ‘who loved me, and gave himself for me.’ ” Many got a crumb for their soul listening to that sermon.
On John 5:6
Speaking from the text “Wilt thou be made whole?”, John 5:6, he said: “Christ addressed this man personally, as He does every one whom He calls effectually. The time of his deliverance drew near in the providence of God. He himself saw many obstacles between him and being made whole, as many an awakened sinner did. One of his arguments was: ‘Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming another steppeth down before me’, verse 7. Christ might have answered him, ‘Oh, man, man, there is no need of the pool. I am the pool. Take up thy bed and walk.’ As a proof of this, the man was completely healed without ever going into the pool.”
On Isaiah 35:10
On the text “and the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away”, Isaiah 35:10, he said: “At death the believer can say, Farewell sorrows and tears. Many a day in this Vale of Baca you relieved my wounded heart and spirit while, like Mary Magdalene at the Saviour’s grave, I sat alone weeping. Often David rejoiced that his secret groans and tears were seen by God. ‘Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.’ Psalm 38:x. Farewell sighs and groans. I often found myself like ‘a bottle in the smoke’, or, like the Psalmist, ‘so troubled that I cannot speak’, Psalm 77:4, sealed up as if about to despair, but Oh, the relief and ease that comes through those deep sighs, tears and secret groans.
On 2 Corinthians 12:9
Mr Macleod’s remarks on Paul’s thorn in the flesh, 2 Co. 12:9, are edifying indeed. “Paul pleaded with the Most High thrice to have this thorn removed, but his request could not be granted. However, something infinitely better was vouchsafed him, that is, the grace of patience — ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness’. Paul found His grace more than adequate on every occasion. I think I hear Paul say: ‘Lord, if I can serve Thee better with this thorn in my flesh, leave it there as long as I live.'”
This reminds one of David’s requests in Psalm 55:6, where he says: “Oh that I had wings like a dove for then would I fly away, and be at rest.” The Lord however did not grant his request. Many too are in heaven, and others on this side of Jordan who, in the hour of distress wished that they could take the morning wings and be at rest. Yet the Lord withheld their request in love, and for wise ends. Nevertheless He bestowed abundant grace upon them and gave them the spirit of contentment in order that they might finish the work allotted to them. As Paul said: “I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”