Mr Macdonald was born on 23 February 1952 to godly parents who lived in Sutherland. At his birth, both he and his mother were not expected to live, but as he later said, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose”. In the mercy of God our lives were spared for a purpose.” His father was said to be well read in theology, especially the works of John Owen, and was a missionary of the Church, initially in Scourie and Kinlochbervie and later in Assynt. Mr Macdonald was thus brought up not only in a homely and hard-working crofting community, but also under gospel admonitions in church and home.
After leaving school he entered upon employment as a fisherman. On one occasion the boat on which Mr Macdonald was working had called at Stornoway. The decision was made to set out to sea on a Sabbath, placing him in the position of having to join their Sabbath-breaking activities or to leave the boat immediately. It seems that he did not hesitate as to his duty, so that he left the boat and made his way to the Stornoway Free Presbyterian Manse, where the Sabbath could be kept in congenial surrounds.
After a while he entered upon employment as a lighthouse keeper on the rugged coasts of western Scotland, which necessitated a more permanent move away from the family home. It is at this stage in life that so many young people in the Church take a fatal step for eternity in forsaking the means of grace, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation. Mr Macdonald was not permitted to take this step and continued the habit of attending the services of the house of God. In the absence of the Free Presbyterian Church he attended the Kilchoan Free Church under the ministry of Rev John Nicholls, while working on Ardnamurchan lighthouse.
He described the first step in the life of grace as coming while alone reading the words of Christ in the Gospel of Luke 2:49, “Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?” when he obtained a sight of the glory of Christ as the incarnate Redeemer. The impression he gave in describing this experience was that it was a case of, “I am sought of them that asked not for Me; I am found of them that sought Me not: I said, Behold Me, behold Me, unto a nation that was not called by My name” (Is 65:1). It is likely, however, that he had come under conviction of sin during the time of his residence in Ardnamurchan. At home in Stoer and Lochinver he had the privilege of being under the ministry of Rev Alexander Macaskill, and in October 1976 he was led to take the step of making a public profession of Christ for the first time.
After a spell working for the Blythswood Tract Society in Lochcarron, he was appointed as a missionary of the Church and assisted Rev Duncan MacLean in the South Harris congregation. He was elected to the eldership in the congregation and remained there for 17 years, diligently serving in that office. In those early days this entailed his supplying many outstations and taking numerous services each week, including frequent supply of the North Harris congregation when it was vacant.
He was then directed by the Outer Isles Presbytery to serve as missionary in the North Uist congregation, which had become vacant on the death of their minister, Rev Alex Morrison, and which was also without a resident elder. By now married and with a family, he soon settled in his new field of labour, which was ground well-tilled and much watered with prayer by his predecessor. He applied himself to his work with enthusiasm and was well regarded and received by the people in his labours among them in preaching and visiting. He established a Sabbath School, which at one stage seemed to flourish, though he was disappointed with the eventual outcome, when so many of the children who passed through it ceased to attend the means of grace. Speaking in connection with this experience afterwards, he noted that, ordinarily, unless what is given in the pulpit or Sabbath school is backed up by instruction in the home, the preacher “is fighting a losing battle”.
The congregation grew in their appreciation of his labours among them, so much so that they took the unusual step of petitioning their Presbytery to set him over them as their minister. This was done without his involvement. However, when it became known to him, he viewed it as an open door set before him whereby his conviction that he was called to the ministry would now be fulfilled. Previous steps in that direction had not been successful due to various circumstances. The petition was accepted by the Presbytery and then in due course by the Synod. A divinity studies course, briefer than normal, was prescribed, upon completion of which he was ordained to the ministry and inducted to the North Uist congregation on Monday, 14 February 2005.
There he laboured in the diligent discharge of his duties as a minister of the gospel until, after ten or so years, the time came that he began to feel his work in North Uist was coming to an end. At this period an approach was received from the Staffin congregation in the Isle of Skye expressing their desire to have him settled over them as their pastor. He felt clearly guided to encourage this call, though shortly after accepting it he became seriously ill. He remained persuaded that his path of duty was to proceed with the move to Staffin, “assuredly gathering that the Lord had called him for to preach the gospel unto them” (Acts 16:10). He was inducted to his new charge towards the end of 2017. Here he laboured in face of increasing illness with commendable fortitude and characteristic humility. He was frequent in his pastoral visitations, and even when his illness weakened him greatly, he persevered to make visits to some who were unwell in his congregation. Despite his serious illness he seemed to enjoy a time of spiritual contentment in Staffin, and enjoyed a close bond with his congregation, who greatly appreciated his labours among them.
He was a keen student of the Word and theological works, and was much in his study. Many noted and commented on how much his preaching seemed to flourish since his illness began, with renewed vigour and life complementing his well-prepared matter. His preaching and conversation revealed that he had a clear grasp of the way of salvation by free grace alone through the merits of Christ, and that he understood well that creature merit had no place in the plan of salvation but that through Christ’s finished work “all things are now ready”. It was a remarkable testimony to his faithfulness to his charge that until a few weeks towards the end of his life, he missed only one or two Sabbaths during this period of ill-health. Even when his body was beginning to give way under the strain, he persevered, requiring to be assisted in and out of the pulpit to preach his last sermons to his beloved Staffin congregation, as a dying man to dying sinners. He passed away on 31 October 2019, resting on the same foundation to which he was first led – the Person and work of the divine Redeemer.
His labours across the wider Church were valued and he is missed at communion seasons, at which he was most willing to assist. Mr Macdonald also served on a number on Synod Committees, including as Convener of the Leverburgh Care Home Committee, Convener of the Welfare of Youth Committee, and a member of the Jewish and Foreign Missions Committee. He was Moderator of Synod once, in 2014.
To his mourning widow, children and brother we extend our sympathy, feeling also the loss to the cause of Christ among us at the removal of another labourer in the harvest. The “fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live for ever?”
(Rev) I D Macdonald