OUR November issue recorded the death of this excellent man. A brief sketch of his life will, however, be not unacceptable to our readers generally, and will be expected by those who had the privilege of acquaintance with the deceased.
John M’Kenzie was born at Red Point, in the parish of Gairloch, in the year 1835. Up to his twenty-first year there was nothing in his manner of life to distinguish him from other young men of his neighbourhood. In or about that year he made up his mind to leave home with the view of earning a livelihood in the Lowlands, but although that was his design, the Lord had designed otherwise concerning him. On the evening preceding the day on which he had resolved to leave home, he paid a visit to a young man who lived some two or three miles away whom he expected to accompany him to the South country. In going or returning, John walked rather hurriedly, got over-heated, and, as a consequence, was that night seized with a serious illness. He never left the parish of Gairloch for the sake of work. The illness contracted then left him a comparatively delicate man for the remainder of his life.
In that first great sickness he was brought face to face with unseen and eternal realities, and there is reason to conclude that in the furnace of affliction he was chosen. There is reason to conclude that in those days the Mediator of the New Covenant became precious to him above what the teaching of flesh and blood can effect. We have been told that at that time his previous careless disregard of the Lord’s Day, with its privileges, gave him great exercise of soul, and if that was so, we can the more fully understand the way in which he ever afterwards appears to have realised the authority of the Fourth Commandment, and the way in which he felt compelled to bear testimony at all times against Sabbath desecration in his native parish. His growth in spiritual things was gradual, and inasmuch as that growth was conditioned by the events of Providence as well as by the Word, we shall here briefly relate the subsequent leading events of his life.
The parish of Gairloch was at that time blessed with not a few Christian men and women of great discernment, conspicuous among whom were Rev. Duncan Matheson, pastor, Mr. Angus Munro, catechist, and Alexander Kemp. To this people, the subject of this memoir, when he was measurably restored to health, joined himself, and everywhere received the right hand of fellowship. His first public service in the sanctuary was rendered as a leader of praise. He was naturally gifted with a sweet and melodious although not strong voice, and when in some measure he, besides, received a spiritual unction, his singing was with great effect. It is related that upon the first occasion of his singing in the Gairloch Free Church—the verses were Ps. xxxi. 5, onwards—Mr. Matheson was so struck and comforted therewith that he caused him to sing the first of these verses three times over. Dr. Hugh Martin, who, on occasion, spent some time at the Gairloch Free Manse, would call John the sweet singer of Israel. As a resident in Red Point his home was nearly ten miles from the church, but he had permission from Mr. Matheson to hold evening services in his own home for the benefit of the people in that district, and of this opportunity he sometimes availed himself.
In 1870 he was married to Louisa Macleannan, and about that time removed to Sand, Gairloch, where he lived for eighteen years. During this sojourn this worthy couple had their own share of affliction. Not to enter into fuller details, the nature of these afflictions may to some extent be indicated by saying that while here they were bereaved of two boys who had each, in turn, attained to the age of five years, and of another little girl of nine months. But by such discipline true Christians live.
In the year 1879, during the pastorate of Rev. John Baillie, John M’Kenzie was ordained an elder, an office which through grace he filled with credit to the end of his life. In 1887 he was employed by the West Coast Mission as one of their missionaries, and with Mr. Baillie’s concurrence he removed in this capacity in the following year to Port Henderson. Port Henderson was to be his home for the rest of his days on earth. Here for 16 years he wielded a great and healthful influence among the people of those parts. His manner might appear to strangers somewhat stern and reserved, but it is not too much to say that he cherished very ardent affection for the people among whom he laboured. He was gifted with an intellect considerably above the average capacity. His thinking was orderly and logical, and his message he delivered without affectation but with great directness. He was, in a word, an edifying expounder of the Word, and his services at Port Henderson were much appreciated.
But he was not to be suffered “to die in his nest.” In 1893 he felt it his duty to join with those who formed the Free Presbyterian Church. On this account, largely I suppose through the influence of the then interim moderator of the Gairloch Free Church, he was not only debarred from the use of the meeting-house in which he had conducted services for so many years, he was also dismissed from the service of the West Coast Mission, but through grace when he suffered wrong because of his following that which was good he endured it very patiently. Possibly this may have been the most blessed and happiest period of his life. Precious promises of God’s Word were in those days brought home to him with much demonstration of the Spirit—promises relating to his own individual case as well as to God’s cause in the world. The writer remembers the great and manifest comfort with which he spoke of the strength vouchsafed to him in those days through the application to his spirit of those words, “Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance.” Thus then, enabled to rise above the fear of man, he took a leading part in helping to form what is now the Free Presbyterian congregation of Gairloch. Shortly after his dismissal from the West Coast Mission he was received as a missionary and catechist of the Free Presbyterian Church, and in this capacity he continued to render public services to the end. Although the number of his hearers on the south side of Gairloch was considerably less under this new arrangement than it had been during his connection with the West Coast Mission, the sphere of his usefulness was not lessened, as ever afterwards the circumstances of the times required that he should very frequently conduct the services of the Free Presbyterian Church on the north side of the loch. He was indeed during the last four years of his life, as the pastorate was vacant, doing practically, so far as that was competent to a ruling elder, the work of a pastor of the congregation. What the spiritual fruits of this service were the great day alone will declare. What is patent is that it was largely through the blessing of God on his ministrations, and skilful managing of affairs, that our congregation at Gairloch has during these years remained the compact and united body that it is. This work, however, he was latterly carrying on only with great and increasing infirmities. In the August of this year he, for his health’s sake, visited Strathpeffer, but the change did not benefit him. On the Tuesday after the first Sabbath of August, being at Auchterneed, near Strathpeffer, he was taken seriously ill, and it was thought that the end had come. Here, however, he lived for a few weeks in much bodily weakness, but enjoying no little measure of a comfortable assurance of an interest in Christ. His prayer also that he might be allowed to return to Gairloch was granted, and he arrived there early in September. One of our students writes :—“After his return from Auchterneed he took me aside in his own house and spoke most solemnly of the stand we had made as a Church. He said that he himself did not regret the step taken, that he had many tokens of the Lord’s special favour since the first day he cast in his lot with the faithful few who stood by the truth ; and he then gave a warning, that we should take great care that we be faithful to that which is committed to our trust.”
For a few days after his return to Port Henderson, he appeared to be slightly improving, but the improvement was more apparent than real. About three o’clock on the 16th October, it being Sabbath morning, he was taken with a severe pain. When thus suffering, he prayed earnestly that, if it were the Lord’s will, he might now be allowed to enter upon the rest that remaineth to the people of God. His prayer, we believe, was speedily answered, and he fell asleep at 6.40 that Sabbath morning. His remains were interred in the Gairloch Churchyard on the following Wednesday.
Mr. M’Kenzie is survived by a widow, a son, and two daughters. For these the sincerest sympathy is felt, and the prayer offered that the God of their loved one may prove their stay and help.
We may fittingly conclude this brief notice of one who was at once a wise counsellor, a true soldier of the Cross, and a pious man, with the last portion of Truth which he was heard to utter :
“ My flesh and heart doth faint and fail,
But God doth fail me never ;
For of my heart God is the strength
And portion for ever.”
J. R. M.