ELDER IN SHIELDAIG CONGREGATION.
THE writer regrets that, after postponing this notice of the worthy Alexander Mackenzie in order to get more information regarding him, he is still unable to give an adequate account of his life.
He was born in Diabaig in the year 1828. His father, Duncan Mackenzie, was a pious man and an elder in the Free Church. In his old age he removed with his family to Maryburgh, where he died. The subject of this short notice was brought up with his uncle, and stayed in Diabaig after his father and family left. Physically he was robust; his strength continued to old age. But when the Lord’s time came for his removal, he was taken away quite suddenly. At our communion at Shieldaig, which is usually on the second Sabbath of June, he was able to attend every day, and performed all the duties of his office as elder.
At the meeting of Session on Saturday of the communion, he expressed in words his apprehension that that would be the last time he would attend a meeting of Session. And so it was, for exactly three weeks from that day he was called away to join the Church of the First-born above. Gairloch communion is usually held two Sabbaths after Shiel-daig. He had a great desire to go there, but hesitated owing to the long walk across the moor, which in former years he used to traverse as lightly as a roe. But now it was a long, wearisome journey for an old man to face. We have no doubt but that he made it a matter of prayer, and the Lord, who is the hearer and answerer of prayer, opened a way for him. He heard that a motor boat from Alligin, the nearest crofting township, was to go to Gairloch on the Friday morning and to return on the Monday evening. He took courage and availed himself of this excellent means of conveyance to and from the communion. Although he lived nearly two miles from the shore at that time, he was the first to be down at the beach on Friday morning to go by the motor boat. He was able to attend every day during the communion in Gairloch. He came back on Monday by the same boat, arrived home safely, and was able to be up and out about the house on Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday morning. On Thursday afternoon he felt unwell, complaining of extreme dizziness in his head, and took to his bed at once. A blood vessel burst in his head, and he died on Saturday evening, the 29th day of June, 1912. He was interred in the Gairloch burying-ground on the following Tuesday, there to rest in the grave until the resurrection.
The writer regrets that he is unable to give an account of his spiritual change, but that he did undergo a spiritual change was quite evident to all those who knew him. He was somewhat retiring in his disposition and very unassuming—a humble, loving Christian, always more willing to hear than to speak. As a public speaker he was not possessed of great abilities, but what he said, while speaking at a fellowship meeting on the Friday of a communion season, was always appreciated by the Lord’s people, who knew that it came from a sincere and honest heart. He was a Nathanael, an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile. But this was not his own estimation of himself. He knew and felt the deceitfulness of his own heart—of “the carnal mind, which is enmity against God, and is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” He mourned over his own heart and the corruption of his nature, and often cried out with Paul, “O wretched man, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” But, although a mourner, he had his seasons of rejoicing, and could say at times at any rate, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord; so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”
He had a keen interest in the cause of Christ throughout the land, and especially throughout the Free Presbyterian Church. He loved the faithful brethren, and whenever he heard of one standing up for the truth, his heart went forth with him. He willingly cast in his lot with his much-esteemed pastor, the Rev. D. MacDonald, Shieldaig, and the Rev. D. Macfarlane, when, in 1893, they along with others made a stand for the truth, and when so many of the lukewarm brethren—of whom, by some at least, better was expected—turned their backs upon Christ and His cause. A friend told the writer that he and our worthy friend, the subject of this notice, were on one occasion on their way home from Shieldaig church together, when their conversation turned on the stand, above mentioned, for the truth in 1893. Alexander said, “Well, John, it was while on my knees before the Lord, seeking light on the path of duty and direction for the step to be taken, that I left the Free Church.” “Well, Sandy,” the friend answered, “if that is so, you will be the more likely to continue steadfast to the end.” And so it was. He continued steadfast to the end. “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed with white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
We believe that our worthy friend is now clothed with the white raiment, “his soul being made perfect in holiness, having immediately passed into glory,” while his body is resting in the grave until the resurrection. Oh, what a glorious sound to him, and to all those who shall be found in Christ at that day, will be the sound of the last trumpet. “For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” What a blessed state, to be eternally free from sin, and what a glorious Redeemer He was who procured this blessed state for those who were lost and ruined in themselves! Surely this is worth living and dying for! But oh! the doom of those who shall not be in Christ when they shall hear the sound of the last trumpet. What fearfulness and anguish will take hold of them when their sinful souls and bodies, both under the curse, shall be united again, and finally cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone! Let us give all diligence to make our calling and election sure.
We would wish to acknowledge our deep sense of the loss to us as a congregation caused by the death of Alexander Mackenzie, and desire to sympathise with those of his family who remain to mourn his loss. D. G.