THE Lord in His holy providence has been pleased to take away another member of the Halkirk congregation in the person of Mrs. Macadie, Brawbin Mains. Since this year began, three worthy members, two of whom, Mr. Donald Murray and Mrs. John Mackay, have been already noticed in these pages, have passed away to their everlasting rest. The hand of the Lord is upon us as a congregation. May He sanctify it to our good!
Marjory Sinclair was the maiden name of the subject of this notice. She was born at Leosag, Scotscaider, about the year 1837. Her parents set a good example before their children, and instructed them well in the literal knowledge of God’s Word, and in the contents of the Shorter Catechism. They also brought them regularly to hear the preaching of the Word on the Lord’s Day. We believe that this, with the divine blessing, had a remarkable influence for good in moulding the character of the subject of this sketch and of the rest of the family, in all of whom it may be said that “some good thing toward the Lord” was seen. To all appearance Mrs. Macadie underwent a saving change in her youth, and must have been much helped by the worthy ministers and men with whom she then came in contact. Some of the ministers she heard were the Rev. John Munro, Halkirk, Rev. Finlay Cook, Reay, and the Rev. Rose Mackay, Bruan. She often attended the services held at Achreny which was in her young days a garden of the Lord, though now a wilderness. Later on in life she sat under the ministry of the Rev. David Ferguson, Westerdale, who was a sound and faithful preacher of God’s Word.
Her husband was the late Mr. Donald Macadie, a native of the parish of Watten, who predeceased her about twenty-two years ago. He was a nephew of the well-known worthy James Macadie. A man of strict integrity and decided piety, Donald Macadie showed himself a staunch witness for truth in his day. His was a strong, sterling character, and as an elder in the Free Church, he actively supported all those who stood for sound doctrine and purity of worship in his time. His removal by death was much mourned by his friends at a critical period in the Church’s history.
We are unable to give much as to Mrs. Macadie’s spiritual experience. She was of a quiet and retiring disposition, and seldom spoke of her own experiences, but that her godliness was of the most genuine stamp no one who knew her could fail to recognise. Her chief delight was in God’s Word, and when going about her daily duties she was often heard quoting some passage of Scripture to herself. The word of the gospel was her daily spiritual food. She viewed with much sorrow the carelessness and indifference of the present generation towards the things of God, and lamented how few stood for the truth. She would not be carried away with every wind of doctrine, and continued to the end steadfast and loyal to the testimony raised by the Free Presbyterian Church. Her love to the Lord’s people was as sincere as it was unassuming, and she showed her affection for them by her warm-hearted hospitality. She gave liberally of her means for the support of the cause of Christ, and at the time of her death left a legacy of £100 for the Sustentation Fund of the Halkirk congregation.
For about six weeks before her decease, Mrs. Macadie was in failing health. She expected the end was drawing near, and patiently waited for the change, with a desire “to depart and be with Christ,” which was far better. Shortly before she died, she asked one of her daughters to read and sing the closing verses of the 48th Psalm, beginning at the 11th verse, where it runs, “Because thy judgments are made known, let Zion mount rejoice.” Her daughter asked her, “How could Zion mount rejoice at the judgments of God?” “Yes,” she replied, “for the truth says, ‘When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.'” She passed away on the 27th day of June, and her remains were interred in the Watten churchyard beside those of her husband.
Much sympathy is felt for her bereaved family, consisting of two sons and four daughters, and also for her sisters and her brother, Mr. Donald Sinclair, elder in Halkirk congregation. “The memory of the just is blessed.” N. M.