Obituaries

Mrs Jessie MacRae, Dumbarton.

“Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace” is not simply a piece of information from God, but a command given to us so that we may benefit and profit from considering the death of the righteous. The blessedness of the righteous is not fully appreciated until their end comes — and then we can “discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not,” so that even the ungodly may say “Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his!” (Num. 23: 10). If any could be said to be among the righteous, it was our friend.

Mrs Jessie MacRae was born in the parish of Applecross in April, 1893, and married Thomas MacRae, on 26th February, 1925, when they set up their home in Glasgow. Although she was years under the preaching of her first minister, the late Rev. Neil Cameron, it was the preaching of the late Rev. D. J. Matheson, Glasgow, that was used in convincing her of her sinnership. Ever a virtuous and honest person, she discovered that man needs a new heart, however good he may be, before he can please God, and that the very best that man can offer with regard to law-keeping comes nowhere near the standard required by God. She found out that the guilt of sin was great and that she needed her sins to be covered by God Himself. She was brought to see that only Christ’s righteousness was sufficient for a sinner to enter glory and so she began to seek Christ above everything else, not only to obtain His righteousness but also for His blood to cover her sins.

While under conviction of sin and seeking Christ, her husband had a dream. In his dream he was in a dark, dark valley when he heard footsteps and a voice calling out and he realised it was the Lord. Telling the dream to his wife in the morning, she said to him “I am in that valley” to which her husband replied “Well, Christ is in that valley.”

Not long afterwards, she found relief in the words “I am thy salvation” (Ps. 35: 3) and she could not stop singing for joy in Ps. 116 “I love the Lord because my voice and prayers he did hear.” So great was her joy in finding Christ that she could not sleep for three nights afterwards. This state of happiness continued for some time until her husband noticed that she was not so bright as she had been formally. Realising that the Communion season was coming near, he asked her if going to the Lord’s Table was troubling her and replying that it was, she asked him if he thought she should go to the Table. The reply was an unequivocal “yes.” From that time onwards she never looked back as far as her spiritual condition was concerned. When her husband’s work for the church necessitated his frequent absence from home, her response was “You put your back to the Cause and I will manage the children.” Manage the children she did, and put his back to the Cause did her husband. Despite tragically losing a daughter shortly after birth, and a son in his youth, four daughters were brought up in “the fear and admonition of the Lord.” These daughters were to care for her during her last days in an extra-ordinary way and with love and care second-to-none. They nursed their mother for two and a half years. This was really only a return of the great kindness she herself extended to others (particularly the servants of the Lord) while she had her health.

Mrs MacRae was seriously ill for a long time, but it was a matter of great rejoicing that she was spared to see her 60th Wedding Anniversary and receive a Telegram of Congratulations from Her Majesty the Queen, although her health was so low by this time she was unable to appreciate the occasion.

There were three Christian graces, in particular, that were outstanding in Mrs MacRae’s life, and indeed, which manifested themselves even when she was lying semi-conscious on her death-bed. The first was: Gentleness (Gal. 5: 22). This grace could be detected in every reaction and response she made right up to the end. The second grace was Kindness (Col. 3: 12). No kinder home could be found than her’s and her anxiety to show hospitality to every caller was apparent even when she was unable to communicate clearly. Her third outstanding grace was Christian charity — Love (2 Pet. 1: 7). Her affection for God’s people, particularly His Servants, could not be hid. Even latterly, when only semi-conscious, her love for God’s children could be discerned through her reaction to their names being mentioned. These three graces exhibited the character of Mrs Jessie MacRae up to the very end.

We cannot say that the end came suddenly or unexpectedly, but we can say, that for her, it was blessed and glorious, because she died as she lived — “in the Lord.” To all who are left mourning we extend our heartfelt sympathy.

“Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord” (Rev. 14: 13).

G. I. M.

Mrs J. Macleod, Helensburgh.

The small congregation of Dumbarton lost its third Christian in six months when Mrs J. Macleod from Helensburgh died on 8th June, 1985.

Mrs Macleod was born in Swainbost, Ness, Lewis, in July 1904 and married Mr John Macleod, also from Ness in Lewis, and set up home in Clydebank. Having lost a child in infancy they nurtured two sons and a daughter whom she now leaves to mourn her passing.

While in Clydebank, their home was bombed during the Clydebank Blitz in 1941. She and her family had to move to Ness until her husband looked for another home for them, and, although she was never heard to complain about the bombing, they were apparently unable to save even a spoon.

Little is known about her conversion except that it was 12 years later before she professed it by sitting at the Lord’s Table. The text which gave her liberty was “I will betroth thee unto me for ever” (Hos. 2: 19) preached on the Saturday of Ness Communion when she received strength to go forward. From then on she continued to maintain a consistent witness to her Saviour.

There were two prominent characteristics of her Christianity that were immediately noticeable. The first was firmness in the Truth. The teaching of Scripture on any matter was absolutely final with Mrs Macleod, and she always remained unshakeable and resolute with regard to anything spoken of in the Word. The other Christian characteristic Mrs Macleod was renowned for was resignation to God’s will. She was greatly taken up with the sovereignty of God not only with regard to Providence but also regarding grace. Her resignation to God’s will with reference to Providence can be seen in her attitude when bombed out of house and possessions during the war. She was, however, exactly the same with regard to God’s work in grace. Reflecting on the low state of Christ’s Cause today, she knew that the only answer was to wait upon the Lord and that the blessing could not be commanded by us. She would often say to me when discussing this matter — “Keep on sowing the seed, and leave the harvest to the Lord.”

There is one incident which highlights these two distinctives of Mrs Macleod’s Christianity. Her burden for a long while was the vacant charge in Dumbarton and she felt led to a certain portion of Scripture which promised help. No sooner did she receive this as the Truth of God, when she was tempted that such a Truth was never to be interpreted in such a way in and that no-one ever heard of such a text being used in the way she understood it. It was a great source of comfort to her to hear her new minister on his first Sabbath in his new charge speak from the very words of Scripture which gave her encouragement and interpret it exactly as she had done.

It transpired that Mrs Macleod had been seriously ill for some time but had not told anyone. Her attendance at Church, right up to the week before she died, both Sabbath and week-day was a testimony of her faithfulness to the appointed means of grace. She enjoyed her last Communion Season on earth so much that she would not go to the houses after the services to wait fellowship, but wanted to go home and go over in her mind what she had heard from God’s servants. In my last conversation with her, the day before she died, she repeated part of the Lord’s prayer “Thy will be done on earth” and spoke of how precious the Lord Jesus Christ was for salvation to all who depended upon Him.

We cannot but hope and pray that her prayers on earth will yet be answered; that her place will be taken by others; and that the Lord will raise up the children instead of the parents. We extend our deepest sympathy to her elder sister, her daughter and two sons and seven grandchildren.

“A mother in Israel” (2 Sam. 20: 19)

G. I. M.