In an age of great declension, such as the time in which we live, it is a sad duty to record the removal of the Lord’s people. There are few in this backsliding generation who are moved by concern over the low state of the Cause of Christ in our own once highly favoured land so to pray as did the prophet Habakkuk in his own day: “O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.” They have left a fragrant memory among their friends who mourn the empty places in the Church on earth. The apostle thanked God for every remembrance of the beloved Philippians. The few facts given here may serve to recall one who feared God above many and walked while she was here in fellowship with the Father and His dear Son with a humble, loving spirit.
Mrs. Matheson was the youngest of a family of three girls born to Capt. and Mrs. Murchison and her birth took place shortly after her parents came to reside in Oban in 1891. Capt. Murchison was a native of Applecross and like many in that seafaring community chose to follow the sea as his life’s calling, first as captain of the vessels owned by his older brothers and later as the trusted ship’s master in the employment of a large shipping firm in the South. He was a man of sturdy independent mind, not ashamed to enforce the reverent keeping of the Sabbath among the crew under his command nor was he afraid to show his love for sound doctrine and the Testimony of the Free Presbyterian Church. He made open profession of Christ late in life after he had retired from the sea. His wife was a woman of devout spirit. Among the religious influences of this home Mrs. Matheson grew up and learned early in life, like Samuel, to walk in wisdom’s ways.
It was, however, the godly life of her older sister who, though a mere child of ten years when she died, gave evidence of having undergone a remarkable work of grace, that was the special means of awakening her to serious thoughts about herself. A most interesting account of the short life of this gracious girl is given in an early number of the Church’s Magazines. Her name was Bella Mary and about the age of seven she contracted typhoid fever from which she never recovered but became an invalid, gradually declining in strength, till she sank into an early grave. She was often troubled about the sins of her heart and questioned if her love for Christ was as strong as her natural affection for her parents but in the end showed great assurance in the face of death. Her love to her Saviour, her delight in having friends who came to see her read to her the Word of God and her longing to go to be with Christ, as on the last Sabbath before her death: “Oh, I am wearying to get away”, showed that her time in the world was to be short. The work of grace in her was rapid. The impressions she then formed and the remembered sayings of this gracious child which were long preserved in the family were not lost upon her younger sister. Her father’s occupation meant that there were long absences from the home when he was away at sea and there was the time when the family moved over to the continent where it was found more convenient to be together as a family, and so it came about that the girls received part of their education in France and Germany. In course of time Mrs. Matheson trained to be a nurse and in this country and in England held important positions in large hospitals. But the religious impressions of the early home life were never effaced and in 1918 she was received into full membership in the St. Jude’s congregation, Glasgow, during the time of the late Rev. N. Cameron whose ministry she greatly prized. In 1927 she became the wife of Rev. D. J. Matheson and lived successively at Laig, Glasgow and at Stratherrick while her husband was minister in these congregations, and she also accompanied him on his visits abroad when acting as Church Deputy in Canada, New Zealand and Australia. On the last Sabbath they were fated to be together in this life at the Errogie Manse, they had decided to attend the Inverness congregation on the communion Sabbath in June 1962, since on that Sabbath no services were held in the Strath congregation. Shortly after setting out for Inverness by car that Sabbath morning, Mr. Matheson suffered a severe heart attack and had to turn for home. He had some presentiment that his work on earth was done and remarked to his wife: “The Lord will take care of you.” Before another month had passed His servant was called to his heavenly rest. Mrs. Matheson faced this great trial with characteristic resignation to the Divine will, and had the reassuring experience of seeing her husband’s comforting words to her amply fulfilled. Some weeks before the end of her own days on earth, she said to her family that she had fully accepted the words: “Be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” — Phil. 4, verse 6.
Mrs. Matheson thereafter came to live for a short time to Inverness but finally went to Inverarnie Farm, Daviot, to live with her younger daughter, Margaret, where she finished her earthly course. Six months before her death in 1970, she had a fall and fractured her femur but recovered and was able to walk again without the aid of a stick. She visited Glasgow once more for the last time. She had an urgent desire which she could not account for at the time to see once again her son and daughter, William and Rosemary, both married in the South. She then returned home and the following night peacefully died in her sleep.
In character Mrs. Matheson bore some of the traits of the amiable Abigail, wife of King David, especially in this, that she was “a woman of good understanding.” In her private study of the Bible she loved to dwell upon the sententious sayings, the distilled wisdom of King Solomon in the Book of Proverbs from which she imbibed much of the practical wisdom which gave spice to her conversation and steadfastness to her walk and daily conduct. In the family life of the manse and in the public tribulations through which the Church is so often called to pass, she was to her husband a tower of strength. Her deep interest in the Cause of Christ showed itself in the kindly and always practical advice she gave the students and young ministers of the Church, for she was free from any critical or censorious spirit. She had a serene trust in the disposing of Divine providence, a great love to the Lord’s people and is greatly missed by those who knew her.
She was buried beside her husband in Dunlichity Graveyard, Daviot, where so many of the Lord’s saints await the summons of the Great Day. We wish for the members of the family that to each one of them may be granted the noble prayer of Abigail for King David that they be “bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God”, as was the portion of their godly parents.
A.F.M.