WIDOW Catherine Mackenzie (familiarly known as Granny Ullapool), who departed this life in June last, was a native of the Parish of Lochbroom. For a considerable time after her husband’s death she lived at Loggy, near Ullapool, and about fifteen years ago came to reside with one of her sons, who is married, in Stornoway, spending the remainder of her days with him in comfortable and pleasant circumstances.
Mrs. Mackenzie was much favoured with a great measure of bodily health, and notwithstanding the frailties peculiar to old age, was, until within a month of her decease, permitted, in the benign providence of the Bountiful Giver of all good, regularly to wait upon the public means of grace. Her example in this matter should make many a young able-bodied person to blush. In all seasons and all kinds of weather Granny Ullapool’s seat in church was invariably the first occupied on Sabbath and week-day, and although latterly she needed the assistance of an arm to lean on for support while walking to church, she made light of every impediment which the infirmities of advancing years cast across her well-trodden path, thinking nothing of being present at both the morning and evening services. To her the House of God was the house of prayer, and she used to say that she would like to remain in church the whole day. It was the place where her thirsty soul first drank of the sweet, refreshing water of life; thereafter many times renewed, and each renewal serving to make it a hallowed spot to her.
From what can be gathered it appears that so far back as sixty-five years ago she became the subject of strong, deep, and lasting religious impressions under the public instructions of the late eminent man of God, and lay speaker, the great William Urquhart, Poolewe. During her last illness she spoke much about her first experiences under Mr. Urquhart, evidently deriving much comfort and strength from the remembrance and contemplation of what had transpired in the days of her first love. With a countenance betraying the joy such incidents recalled to memory gave her, she often referred to how gladly she would then walk from Lochbroom to the cave at Coast Udrigle, and back the same day. In that cave Mr. Urquhart was wont to faithfully proclaim in his own masterly way:—”Say ye to the righteous that it shall be well with him: Woe unto the wicked; it shall be ill with him.” The Law and Gospel, unfolded there, arrested and wholly captivated the attention of his hearers, and she delighted to tell of how gladly and patiently they would wait until the last word of the evening service fell from the speaker’s lips, no matter how late. The gospel which is now so much despised and neglected was then esteemed and sought after.
On her death-bed she suffered very severe pains at times, and in her moments of relief would say:—”I wish the foolish and careless women in my neighbourhood would see my sufferings, so that they might be afraid of the inexpressible agonies of the fire that shall never be quenched.” When the 28th chapter of Matthew was read at her request, she said:—”What meat and drink for eternity is there in thinking of His resurrection.” And continuing, she said:—”Thou hast been good to me: Thou camest after me when I was running away from Thee, but Thou didst continue after me until Thou causedst me to turn to Thee, and see that I could not afford to do without Thee; and Thou knowest that Thou hast done this to me, and that now I cannot do without Thee, and that Thou art all my desire.” While speaking of death, she said:—”Death is good. I cannot get home without passing through it.” Granny loved to do whatever came within her reach, and often she would be found visiting some of her women friends that lived near her who could not attend the public means of grace. They will readily confess how much they miss dear Granny now that used to read and open up the Scriptures to them during her visits. If at any time she would consider it necessary to change the subject of conversation in her house, she would read aloud from her Bible.
She was a great favourite of the late worthy “Anna Bhan,” and the late Mrs. Stewart (Granny Murray), who both predeceased her, and whose removal caused her great sorrow. She would say it was high time to waken up to plead that the Lord would raise up the daughters in place of the mothers. Let us hopefully both look and wait for the prayers of these excellent mothers in Israel to be answered in His own time and way.
While she was much grieved by the departure of some of the ministers of the Church from the testimony of 1893, she much rejoiced at the steadfastness of the people in abiding faithful to the truth in the peculiarly trying circumstances in which some of them were placed. Granny, after adhering unflinchingly to the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints, entered upon her eternal rest in the full assurance of her saving interest in Christ. Of her we feel it not too much to say, “She hath done what she could,” and our best and only wish for the many daughters of Stornoway is that they may get grace to enable them to walk in the footsteps of Granny Mackenzie. D. M’L.