MRS. LIVINGSTONE, LATE OF BOWMORE, ISLAY.
On the evening of the 16th inst., Mrs. Livingstone died at the residence of her daughter and son-in-law at 87 Thistle Street, Glasgow, at the ripe age of 89 years. She seemed to us to be a woman of sterling worth and piety. But being a woman of great modesty and real humility, she spoke very sparingly about everything which concerned herself. One thing could not be concealed—viz., her great love for the Word of God and the great delight she had in God’s way of salvation, set forth therein, through the atonement made by the Son of God on Calvary’s Cross. The end came rather suddenly; but there is good cause to believe that her anchor was within the vail. “The expectation of the poor shall not be lost.”—N. C.
MR. NORMAN MUNRO.
We regret to have to announce the death of Mr. Norman Munro, who died on 16th inst. at his son’s house at 10 Rosehall Street, Glasgow, at the age of 83 years. He was a native of Scourie, Sutherlandshire. He was a pious man, and as his end drew near, marks of grace appeared very distinctly in him. His last words to us were—”How great the goodness of God to me is, though a vile sinner in myself. He sets before me a free salvation in Christ, and the power of His Holy Spirit to apply it to my soul; and also leaves with me the use of my faculties to meditate upon these things!”
Last September he lost his eyesight completely. He was at Scourie at the time. Since he came home from there he was confined to the house, but able to rise every day till within a few weeks of his end. “The righteous has hope in his death.”—N. C.
THE LATE MR. GEORGE MACLEOD, ELDER, LAIRG, SUTHERLAND.
Our Church, in the district of Sutherland, lost three of its outstanding men during the last six months. The three were worthy elders of the Church—viz., Mr. Alex. Matheson, Bonar; Mr. Geo. Macleod and Mr. Angus Gray, Lairg. They were three sober-minded men, who commanded great respect from all who knew them, and whose demise has been keenly felt by every member of the community. The loss has been felt very sorely by all the congregations of the Church. We offer our readers a few remarks about Mr. George Macleod in this month’s issue of our Magazine.
George Macleod was born in the parish of Creich, Sutherland, on the 18th of July, 1830. His father was both an elder and catechist there. In 1855 all the family except George, who was at the time serving his apprenticeship, and who expected to follow them as soon as he learned his trade, emigrated to Canada. He felt the separation very hard. A portion of God’s Word came to his mind, which was fulfilled to him in after life. The words were—”When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.”
In his youth he was gay, and very fond of music and dancing. He dressed in full Highland fashion. One Sabbath morning he and a few companions went from Creich to attend a communion at Rogart. Before they reached the place where the congregation met they passed the late James Matheson, Claismancuamh, Dornoch, sitting at the wayside. James said to him—”Young man, ‘Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall neither leave them root nor branch.'” When he got home that night the Highland dress was laid aside never to be worn again. He was left some years before the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ was shined into his heart. One day, on his way home from church at Creich, where he heard the late Dr. Aird preach, and musing on the truths he had heard, the glory of the way of salvation through the Cross of Christ broke in upon his soul, and he was made both able and willing to accept of it and to rejoice in it. Ever after he venerated the Doctor very much, and used to walk twelve miles on the Lord’s Day to hear him. He told us that often the Dr.’s first prayers made him feel that he was not only refreshed in body after his fatigue, but also fully compensated in his soul. Like the divisions of Reuben, the division of the Free Church of Scotland caused great thoughts of heart, and the heart of dear George Macleod had its own share. He mourned to the end for the blindness which happened to a few whom he fully believed to be true Israelites; nevertheless, he was one of the most steadfast and uncompromising men in the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
It was his habit to rise earlier on the Sabbath day than on any other day. He spent the hours of its morning in private prayer, reading the Word of God, and meditation. To him the Sabbath was a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable. After the public services were over he gathered together his family, and heard them repeat a part of the Shorter Catechism and portions of the Word of God. He strictly prohibited any levity on that day, and any unnecessary work. Indeed, when there at Communion seasons, we were often struck with the solemnity and quietness reigning under their roof. May that blessing abide with them.
He was a true patriot, in whose heart the cause of Christ held the highest place. He deplored exceedingly how his fellow-countrymen were forsaking the truth and the God of our fathers, and going after Ritualism and Romanism. He did his utmost to enlighten people to a sense of these evils by distributing all kinds of Protestant literature. He was a very intelligent man, had his eye on Scotland, England, America, Australia, etc., knew their dangers religiously, and sent many a warning to them. He did not forget that charity begins at home. Calmly, earnestly, and affectionately he warned men of their danger, and of the awful results which were sure to follow their forsaking of the old paths—“Thus saith the Lord, Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We shall not walk therein.”
As a friend he was constant, faithful, true, and sympathetic. We can never forget his kindness, which was as natural to him as to breathe the air. Once we came to his most hospitable fireside both cold and wet; he took hold of our hands in his two hands and tried to warm them, saying, “Poor fellow, you are perishing.” While we highly admire the great kindness and hospitality of other dear friends, we have no hesitation in saying that Bridge End, Lairg, exceeded them all. He and his worthy companion were never more pleased than when, on Communion occasions, their house was brimful of people. Everyone was made to feel at home there. His kindness did not end there; but he opened his purse also to Christ’s poor people, and helped liberally to defray the expenses incurred in travelling to and from the place.
But his true humility and godly fear were the outstanding characteristics of his daily life. He was one of the humblest men we ever saw. There was not the least ostentation or self-seeking to be seen about him. He seemed to be always looking upon himself as unworthy to have the lowest place in the Church of Christ, but that did not detain him from doing his very utmost to further it in the world, and especially in the Sutherland congregation. His own concerns in worldly matters had to stand aside when they appeared to clash with spiritual matters. Indeed, he took comparatively little interest in anything apart from the cause of Christ, and still, when near his end, he was heard often to say how very
little he had done for it, and how the things of God ought to be put before every other thing under the sun. But when we now look back on his earnest, unceasing efforts to advance it in the world, the truth is apt to spring up—”Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things. I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” His humility was not more conspicuous than the continual fear he had of sinning against God. Still it had nothing in it of that fear which causes the sinner to desire that he should be hid from God’s face; but quite the contrary, it was a fear of the awful trouble of soul which the true child of God has when the Lord’s face is hid because of sin. In all his prayers this came out most convincingly to all who could understand it. Prayer was his delight.
His love to the Lord’s people was true, lasting, and deep. We have often thought for the last two months how happy these three men, who loved one another so sincerely in this world, will be now in eternal glory with Christ and his beloved people, especially because they will part no more. They were really lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in death they were not divided. But there are a few left amongst us yet of the same spirit, who were affectionately loved by George Macleod, and seeing it is the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost, it is a bond that cannot be broken. So let it be.
About six weeks before his end came he was laid aside by an attack of influenza. Though his friends were aware that he was rather poorly, it seems none believed that the end was so near. At the beginning of his trouble he passed through a mental conflict with unbelief, but got a great relief. He was heard repeating some of the most comforting verses in the Psalms. No part of truth was oftener on his lips during his Christian life than the Psalms. His end was perfect peace. While the Sabbath was being ushered in—the 25th of January—he departed to enjoy an endless Sabbath, at the age of 73 years. On Wednesday, the 28th, his remains was interred in the churchyard at Lairg. Many were present from far-distant places, along with the men of Sutherland of all denominations—a large concourse of people—who carried his remains to the grave. It was not only heard from many persons, but it was also visible in their countenances that they realised the loss the whole community had sustained by his removal. There his body rests united to Christ till the resurrection.
He left a widow—the companion of his joys and sorrows for 42 years—four sons, and two daughters. The deepest sympathy is felt for them all by many true friends throughout the whole land. May the Lord, who followed His kindness from father to son for three generations, show mercy to his sons and make them noble princes in the earth. God’s Word gives them the advice—”Thine own friend and thy father’s friend, forsake not.”—N. C.
MR. ALLAN MACDONALD, OBAN.
“The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” There be those called to this shining path not of the will of man, but of God; of such this also is true—that they are princes of the blood Royal of Heaven, and in due time they hear the call, “Come up higher.” Mr. Allan Macdonald gave evidence that he was so called, and to him came the summons with the dawning year, and he passed to the higher house.
Mr. Macdonald was born in the island of Barra some 56 years ago. Nothing definite is known of his earlier years beyond the fact that he lost his father when he was but two years of age. The mother was taken from him in his ninth year. Mr. Macdonald, thus deprived by death of both parents, passed into the care of relatives in the island of Muck. It does not appear that they exercised any great restraint upon him, or tried to teach him the principles of religion, which at this time seems to have been at a very low ebb in Muck, for he, when he was able to act for himself, ran away to sea.
A considerable portion of his life was, subsequent to this, spent in foreign service, during which he visited many parts of the earth and passed through many of the dangers and sufferings incident to those “who go down to the sea in ships and do business in great waters.”
We have no definite information as to when the realities of eternity first became matter for concern to Mr. Macdonald. It was, however, after his marriage, and when desiring baptism for one of his children, that he became fully awakened to his condition as a guilty sinner before a Holy God. From this awakening he passed into great distress of soul, so much so that he was almost unable to fulfil the duties of his vocation. For days together he would be locked up in his room praying. This characterised his after life to such an extent that he was known as “Praying Allan” among his shipmates.
We are not privileged to know when the terrors of Sinai passed on into full vision and faith in Christ, the end of the law for righteousness. But that he found peace in Jesus, his after life and conversation give ample testimony. He seldom spoke of his own experiences, but he was ever ready to give a reason for the hope that was in him. He manifested great tenderness of conscience, and in this connection he is known to have very forcibly remonstrated with the owner of a posting establishment opposite his dwelling regarding the profanation of the Sabbath by hiring carriages on that day. Mr. Macdonald’s interference was at first resented, but in the long run his position was ethically acknowledged.
In 1893, when the great schism in the Free Church called the defenders of the “Faith once delivered to the saints” to rally
round their banner, Mr. Allan Macdonald took his place in the ranks, and later on, when the Free Presbyterian Church was fully organised, he was called to be a deacon in the Oban congregation. From this time on till his departure his spiritual life seemed deepened and intensified. The ministrations to the sick and the dying were much valued.
Mr. Macdonald frequently spoke at the fellowship meetings, and most effectively, especially for the last time on earth, at the November Communion in Oban. From that time onward, although in his usual health, it was observed that Mr. Macdonald’s prayers and admonitions (for he was fearless in rebuking sin) were more earnest, and especially at family worship his petitions were marked by a peculiarly supplicating request that the present might be a year of souls—a new year.
Mr. Macdonald’s life here came to a close last January. The illness began in the first week of the year. For a few days he was able to conduct worship lying in bed. Then he fell into semi-unconsciousness, from which he never recovered, and on the 14th of January he passed into the immediate presence of God.
Mr. Macdonald left a widow and family of three sons and two daughters to mourn his loss. The Oban congregation also feel that they have parted from a real comrade, and desire to express their appreciation of his genuine worth, and their sympathy with those who mourn his loss.—C. M.
A Sermon.
BY THE LATE REV. JOHN MACDONALD, FERINTOSH.
“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested.”—ROM. iii. 21.
this procedure of grace—the righteousness of God. And II. To this righteousness as now manifested.