MANY will regret to learn the death of Mrs. Malcolm Macaulay, late of Stornoway, which took place at Ard-Uig, on Friday, 13th June, at the ripe age of ninety-three years. She was brought to a saving knowledge of the truth when very young. About the age of twelve, she went along with other children to play on Sabbath at the seashore, and in the evening her mother took her to the prayer meeting which was that evening conducted by the late Donald MacLeod, Erisda. Donald read the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, and in commenting on the chapter said, “that those who refused Christ in the gospel were as guilty of crucifying Him as those who actually put Him to death on Calvary.” This went like a dagger to her conscience, and she was for sometime in great mental agony. We are not in a position to say definitely when, or through whom, relief came, but from her great regard in after life to the late Rev. Alexander MacLeod, Uig (afterwards of Rogart), we may safely conclude that he was the instrument used by the Lord for this gracious purpose.
About the age of sixteen she was pressed to come forward to make a public profession of Christ. Before going to Mr. MacLeod, she laid the matter before the Lord, and was strengthened by the following passages, which came with much force and unction:—”He (Ephraim) is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children;” also, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” In the strength of these words, she went with much fear and trembling to Mr. MacLeod, who was considered very severe in admitting applicants to the Lord’s Table. She, however, found him, not as she expected, severe, but “as mild as a lamb.” He asked her but one question, which was, “Would you suffer for Christ?” to which she replied, “I am afraid I wouldn’t.” Concluding that her answer was sufficient to debar her from being admitted, she returned home much downcast, but to her surprise the following Sabbath, which was the Sabbath before the Communion, Mr. MacLeod’s text was, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” He spoke of the different ways in which God’s people were to obey His commandments, and his remarks gave her great encouragement, and in the strength of this, she came before the session which readily received her.
It was a common practice in those days in many places with the pious women to keep private prayer meetings to which no male member was admitted. Such meetings were held at Uig, and to these Mrs. Macaulay regularly went. She evidently benefited much by them, for to the end of her days she spoke of these meetings with great delight, and often related how they spent whole nights in prayer and meditation. She had a profound admiration for the late Rev. Peter MacLean of Stornoway. When Mr. MacLean was teacher at Uig, she would, when he passed the way, hide herself behind a knoll to get a glimpse of him, but her natural shyness prevented her making herself known to him.
At the age of twenty-one she married Mr. Malcolm Macaulay, Islivig, who also feared the Lord, and to whom she had ten of a family, of whom six are still living. To show the great regard Mr. and Mrs. MacLeod had for her, it may be related that ten days before her marriage they sent for her to the manse, where she stayed until her marriage-day, during which time she received many wise and valuable advices in view of her future life.
At the Disruption of 1843, she and her husband, along with the whole parish, had no hesitation in casting in their lot with the Free Church. But during the first Union negotiations, when the late Rev. John Campbell, who favoured the Union, was their minister, she and the majority of the people returned to the Established Church on the understanding that they would be supplied by an evangelical minister. About the year 1890 she came to Stornoway to keep house with her son, Mr. Alick Macaulay, who is now one of our deacons. For the first few years, she attended the Free Church in the town, but when the Free Presbyterian Church in 1893 began to hold separate meetings, she was one of the first to join our congregation, to which she adhered as a loyal member until her death. In taking this step of becoming a Free Presbyterian, she was not a mere follower of men, however much she might admire them, but sought to have the mind of the Lord revealed to her. Her duty was made clear by the following passage: “By whom? and he said, Thus saith the Lord even by the young men of the princes of the provinces.” It might be observed here that this was the same passage which led the late Alexander MacIver, Lochs, to cast in his lot with us. When he and Mrs. Macaulay met and learned that it was the same passage which led them both in the path of duty, their attachment which before was strong, afterwards developed into something similar to that which existed between David and Jonathan.”
She was of a most loving and kind disposition, and those of our ministers and people, who visited her home at Kenneth Street, will not readily forget the warm and hearty reception she would give. She seemed to be in her element when surrounded by the Lord’s people. As she advanced in years, her strength failed so much that she was unable to attend the public means of grace, and thinking her end was near, she expressed the desire of returning to her native place to be with her daughter. After returning to Ard-Uig, she lingered for ten years, in great weakness, but without pain. The Bible was her constant companion, and she could read it without the help of spectacles until the end.
She was no stranger to the “fiery darts of the wicked one,” by whom she was often harassed, as also often cast down by the corruption of her nature, but her defence was the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, by which she was enabled to gain the victory. During her last days her memory completely failed her regarding temporal things, even the affairs of her own children were lost to her, yet her intellect and memory were quite clear upon the Scriptures. The night before she died she wished her daughter to leave the lamp lit all night so that she might read her Bible, but this was wisely refused her. In the morning when she awoke she said that the night had been the sweetest night of communion with Christ she ever had on earth, and that Satan had “no more in” her. After calling her favourite grandchild to her bedside, she kissed him and passed peacefully away to be forever with the Lord. The Free Presbyterian Church has lost a true friend who often wrestled at the throne of grace for its prosperity, and we have reason to tremble when we think of the many breaches that are made on the walls of Sion and to pray that the Lord would yet build up the walls of Jerusalem.
N. MACL.
Since the world began, hell and the wicked have been pulling at the Church; but, God be thanked, they only break their arms by pulling.—Rutherford.
When Christ and the Gospel are out of Scotland, dream not that your houses shall thrive, and that it shall go well with the nobles of the land.—Rutherford.