ELDER, JOHN KNOX’S, GLASGOW.
I T is with very deep regret that we record this month the death of Mr. John Auld, 14 Ronald Street, Glasgow, elder in John Knox’s Congregation. Mr. Auld, who was only a little , more than a fortnight unwell, caught a severe influenza chill from which he never rallied. Some time ago, however, he was six months laid aside with a pretty serious trouble, and it is feared that this trouble left effects behind, which unfitted his constitution for resisting another attack of severe illness. Be this as it mayor not, Mr. Auld was called away, in God’s providence, on the 9th March, in the midst of his usefulness, at the comparatively early age of forty-nine years. He has left a great blank in the congregation to which he belonged, as well as in his own family.
Mr. Auld was a native of the village of Tollcross on the outskirts of Glasgow. His parents were worthy and pious persons, who died a few years ago, and notices of whom appeared in this Magazine, in February, 1912, and October, 1913. His father was an attached adherent of the ministry of the late Rev. Jonathan Ranken Anderson, and continued in connection with the John Knox’s Tabernacle Congregation, after Mr. Anderson’s decease in 1859. The subject of this notice, who was not born till 1866, was trained up at the feet of the elders and others who survived Mr. Anderson and conducted the meetings of the congregation. It was during this time, when he was probably about seventeen years of age, that he came under decided concern for his soul. We cannot supply many details, but we know that he was in considerable distress for a time, and that it was the case of the Syro-phrenician woman, powerfully applied to his mind, that gave him the first ray of hope and spiritual comfort. “Truth, Lord, but the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the master’s table.” The deep sense of personal unworthiness which was evidently begotten by the Spirit at this period, was a feature in his Christian character and exercises to the last.
In 1896, Mr. Auld, along with the remnant of the congregation, joined the Free Presbyterian Church, and when a division took place at a later date, remained in close association with said Church. As a deacon and elder, in the John Knox’s Free Presbyterian congregation, he did noble service, which can never
be fully told. For several years past, through death and other causes, he was almost alone in the performance of the various kinds of work that fell to him as an office-bearer, but he did all with great conscientiousness and care in an ungrudging and self-sacrificing spirit. He acted as congregational treasurer, and as clerk of deacons’ court and session. On Sabbaths, he taught a class for young people, and when the minister was absent, he often conducted the regular services. Through diffidence he never delivered addresses of his own, though we believe he was quite capable of doing so if he had chosen, but read sermons of ministers, past and present, in a reverent and appreciative manner, and that with such ability of elocution and expression as made them equal to spoken discourses, and very edifying to the hearers. Mr. Auld did not acquire much education in his early boyhood, for he went to work when he was between 12 and 13 years of age, but he improved himself at evening classes later on, and became quite an accomplished man, being, among other things, a first-class shorthand writer. His prayers were always orderly, comprehensive, reverent, and spiritual. He had thoughts of the gospel ministry in his earlier years, and the special enlargement and ability which he manifested at times suggested possibilities of future usefulness on earth, which, sad to say, are now for ever closed.
It is not too much to state in conclusion that Mr. Auld was an office-bearer of rare efficiency, possessing wisdom, humility and practical worth in a marked degree. While diligent in many ways in connection with the Church, he was exceptionally quiet and unobtrusive, and manifestly sought the honour which cometh from God only. So lately was he in his place, looking after the affairs of the congregation with his accustomed regularity, that some of us can hardly realise that he has gone the way of all the earth, never to return. But we have the profound satisfaction of sorrowing, not as those “who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” His death is a great loss to Church and world, but to him it is unspeakable gain. Without exaggeration, we may affirm that he was one of those servants to whom the commendation of the Lord, recorded in the 25th chapter of Matthew, is given: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
The deepest sympathy is felt for his sorrowing widow and young family of five, the oldest being only seventeen, and also for his sister, Mrs. A. Sinclair. May the Lord, who has been a husband to the widow and a father to the fatherless in all ages, be very gracious to them and provide for their needs, both temporal and spiritual! And may He sanctify to us all this solemn dispensation of His holy providence! The call goes forth: “Be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.”
J. S. S.
Brief Obituaries.
By REV. N. MATHESON, HALKIRK, CAITHNESS.
THE following are short notices of three members of the Halkirk Free Presbyterian congregation, whom we believe entered their eternal rest. Though to a certain extent hidden from the world, they were not the least prayerful of the Lord’s people.
(1) THE LATE MRS. WILLIAM BAIN, HALKIRK.
Mrs. William Bain (or Isabella Miller) was born in Achanenies, Harpsdale, about the year 1827. In her young days she had the blessed privilege of being taught by her parents in the Word of God. With them and others who desired to hear “the word of truth,” she often went to the meetings held at the Achreny Mission, where the late Rev. Finlay Cook and other eminent servants of Christ laboured. More than once we heard her making reference to Mr. Cook’s powerful preaching and to how much she and others felt the influence of the Word preached. In her case we believe it was more than the natural melting of the heart and affections, for she manifested by word and actions that the Word of God was of more value to her than anything that perishes. She heard, she said, Mr. Cook on one occasion saying— (Bu chor dhut eisdeachd ris an t-soisgeil bho ghob eorn) “You should listen to the Gospel though it should come to you through the beak of a bird,” meaning, no doubt, that however insignificant the means might appear that the Lord would use to bring the Gospel to our ears, that we should listen to it. She was a diligent reader of the Bible and religious literature even in her old age, her eyesight, for which she expressed her gratefulness to the Most High, having kept quite good. Sometimes she would say—”What could I do without His Word?” It was her chief comfort in her loneliness. During twelve years she was mostly alone. Her husband predeceased her by that time, and there were no surviving children. When cast down as to her hope for eternity, she would look to the Lord’s Word for comfort.
A few years after the formation of the Free Presbyterian Church she joined the Free Presbyterian congregation of Halkirk, and remained a true and faithful friend of the cause to the last. These words, which came to her as an answer to prayer, “If the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him,” were the means of making her decided as to her duty in joining the Free Presbyterian remnant in Halkirk.
At the time of her marriage about fifty years ago, her husband and she came to reside in Halkirk, where they showed in their home the greatest hospitality to strangers who came the way at Communion seasons and other occasions. These occasions, when she was privileged to meet with so many of the Lord’s true people, she confessed, were the happiest times of her life. Her niece, Miss Sutherland from New Zealand, kindly and dutifully attended on her for about a year before the end. She passed away on the 22nd of July, 1915, to her eternal rest.
(2) THE LATE MRS. DONALD MURRAY, SCOTSCALDER.
Mrs. Donald Murray (or Christina Sinclair) was born at Leosag about 77 years ago. Her husband, who predeceased her by two years, and of whom a short notice was given in our magazine, was a truly pious man. Mrs. Murray was of a very quiet and reserved disposition, and on that account spoke but little of her spiritual experience. But she gave evidence by her life and conversation that she feared the Lord. She was an exercised, praying woman. The warmth of her heart towards the Lord’s people and others was more noticeable by her actions than by her words. Not only will her own family miss the tenderness and affection of a beloved mother, but all who knew her will miss her kind look and presence. Having been in feeble health for the last three years, she was unable to do hardly anything of her ordinary household duties, but was able to read the Bible and other religious books. She was particularly fond of Rutherford’s Letters. This showed the spiritual bent of her mind. One of her favourite Psalms was the 42nd, which she often rehearsed to herself. She passed away on the 24th of November last. A week after her decease, her sister, Mrs. James MacDonald, Rangag, Latheron, also a member of the Halkirk congregation, was removed from us by death. We regret we had very little acquaintance with her, Rangag being about 14 miles distant from Halkirk, but from what we knew of her, we believed her to be one to whom the Lord was made precious as her Redeemer.
We extend our sincerest sympathy to the relatives of both deceased sisters, and pray that the Lord would raise up their children and grandchildren to be living witnesses for Christ.
(3) THE LATE MRS. JAMES SUTHERLAND, TOFTINGALL.
Mrs. James Sutherland (or Jane Bruce) was born at Achshebster about 82 years ago. When quite young the family came to live at Toftingall, where they had a small farm which one of her sons still holds. Her husband predeceased her over 40 years ago. Notwithstanding that Mrs. Sutherland got but very little education when young, she was wonderfully familiar with the Scriptures of truth. The only school she ever attended was a Sabbath School held by the late Mr. James Macadie. “He took great pains,” she said, “in teaching the children the doctrines of truth, and would give them as a task to learn by heart the Scripture proofs bearing on the Shorter Catechism questions.” No doubt this training was the reason why Mrs. Sutherland was so well versed in the Word of God. In her young days she would walk long distances to the means of grace, Toftingall being situated in a kind of central place to the various places of worship in the county. She took liberty to go at Communion seasons, and on ordinary occasions to Achreny, Halkirk, Thurso, Bruan, and Latheron, where eminent ministers of the gospel were placed. This we take as evidence that she thirsted after “the water of life.” She
remembered distinctly the Disruption of 1843. In her last illness, which lasted for a few weeks, she suffered very much, but was remarkably patient. She felt her need of the Lord’s strength in her weakness. She was heard saying, “I am weak, but Thou art strong.” When asked if she thought she would get over her trouble, she replied—”I am willing to submit to whatever His will is.” She departed this life on the 14th of December last, we believe, to be free from all sorrow and pain.
We extend our sincerest sympathy to her three sons and daughter who are left to mourn her loss. May the Lord be their comfort in their sorrow!