The Late Miss MacColl, Ballachulish
Miss MacColl was well known to some of the Fathers of the church. Rev. D. Beaton, Oban, was very mindful of her. At a comparatively young age, her experience was like that of David, and of Job before him, for both were conscious of the Lord’s afflicting hand being heavily laid upon them. They could say, and she could join with them in it:
“For upon me both day and night
thine hand did heavy lie.” Ps. 32: 4
But obviously all this protracted illness worked together for her eternal good, in accordance with the Divine promise: “For all things work together for good to them that love God.” Romans 8: 28. Owing to all this she was unable to attend any place of worship or to commemorate Christ’s death until He comes. This was true of many of whom we knew in our beloved Church, who gave ample evidence, by their life and conversation, also by their love to Him, to His cause, and to His people, that they had “the root of the matter in them,” but were denied “that little strength” which enables one to obey His dying counsel: “This do in remembrance of me.”
As far as we can ascertain it was through reading our monthly magazine that the Holy Spirit began a good work in her, with the noble hand of Zerubbabel thus laying the foundation stone. For years, she was under soul concern. Various Scriptures manifested to her her need of Christ as a lost and Hell deserving sinner. She prayed, and longed for the blessed experience of the prodigal son, when clothed with the robe of the unspotted righteousness of Christ, and embraced with the sweet kiss of reconciliation in his father’s arms. God heard and answered her prayer in His own time.
There was a Godly man from Ballachulish, a Mr Fraser, who was Missionary in Harris for years, and who, when he retired, went back to his native village. One day he visited Miss MacColl, who suggested to him to hold a Service in her house. To this he readily agreed. “It was during that service that my poor soul was betrothed to Christ for eternity, and I could say then, ‘My beloved is mine, and I am His’,” she quietly whispered to me.
The writer first met her shortly after coming to Fort William. My elder, Mr Matheson, took me to visit her in her cosy little cottage in Ballachulish, where she was conscious of the eternal God being her refuge and underneath her His everlasting arms.
After worship, she suggested our holding a service with her as soon as possible. “There are 20 years since I listened to the joyful sound of the blessed Gospel,” she said. In reply, Mr Matheson said: “Yes, the Minister I am sure will gladly hold a service here, in a month or so, on our return from a Presbytery meeting.” Bending her head and with a deep sigh she said: “O, that is somewhat too far away.” We therefore agreed to have the service the following week. That service, neither of us have ever forgotten. It was the portion of God’s Word she was longing to hear from which we spoke: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”
A week later, and after breakfast, the heavenly summons sounded in her ears: “The bridegroom cometh and he calleth for thee.” She believed that. She then told the one who so tenderly attended to her of the solemn message, adding: “When all is over, please telephone the Fort William minister, and tell him to take the worship at my funeral, and that no one else shall take part in it, but himself. Moreover tell him to remain by my graveside until all is finished. Her wish was accomplished.
“The secret of the Lord is with
such as do fear his name;
and he his holy covenant
will manifest to them.” Ps. 25: 14
The matter remained an unsolved problem to my mind, until I noticed a Jesuit priest standing on the verge of her grave. Immediately we proceeded with the usual word of exhortation at the graveside, pointing out that the Confession of Faith prohibits prayers at the grave, and all such heathenish and Romish practices.
Yes, the memory of the just is blessed. The resurrection morning shall assuredly be a glorious one, without a cloud or ripple on the sea of glass. The last trumpet will give an audible solemn sound, thus causing every grave under the canopy of heaven to give up their dead. It is quite obvious from God’s word that the righteous shall rise first. “For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel” I Thes. 4: 16. The people who had then come through great tribulation, and bearing His name upon them — “and I will write upon them my new name,” Rev. 3: 12 — shall listen to his final message to them while on the outside of the Celestial City: “Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world.” Whereas, the wicked shall rise; as the prophet Daniel affirms: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Oh, how very sweet to read in God’s Word: “and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut.”
(Rev.) J. A. MacD.