IT is with sincere regret we record the passing away of this worthy man ; our loss, however, is his gain. George Sutherland was born in Clyth in the year 1831. His parents were victims of the Sutherland clearances. On his mother’s side he was related to Angus Baillie, of whom Sandy Gair remarked that the death of his children was like cutting off his fingers, but Angus’ removal was like taking away his side.
George Sutherland was like other young men until God, who was to show him mercy, spoke to him. The first serious impressions wrought in his mind were produced in rather an unexpected way. A catechising had been announced for the district in which he resided, but caring for none of these things, he purposed going away from home on the day appointed. On his outward journey he was met by a friend who asked him if he was not going to the catechising. “No,” replied George, as a feeling of resentment to the things of God got possession of him. He had not gone far, however, when he was led to consider what a dangerous course he was pursuing in fleeing from that which might be for his everlasting good. Accordingly, he turned back and went to the catechising, and from that day onward he became a seeker of God’s salvation, and bore abundant evidence that the work begun that day was not of man.
George was of an exceptionally retiring disposition, a Nathanael indeed, in whom was no guile. Of him, it could be truly said that he adorned the doctrine of God his Saviour, and was an epistle known and read of all men. Owing to his extreme diffidence he could not be prevailed on to accept office, though elected two or three times to the eldership. Owing to the same cause he never took part in prayer in public, or presided at any of the prayer meetings. But he was a man of prayer, and his very presence in a meeting was a help and encouragement to the person upon whom fell the responsibility of conducting the meeting. He was a lover of good men, and, though always in the background himself, he delighted in listening to the exercises of experienced Christians, and in noting down on his return home any sayings that appealed to him. In this way he gleaned quite a number of sayings of the Caithness and Sutherland “Men,” which were placed at the disposal of the editor of the Magazine, and some of which have appeared in its pages.
He was sometimes sorely tried as to his interest in Christ, and on one particular occasion he tells how he was much concerned as to whether the thoughts working in his soul were of nature or of grace, when the words of Scripture came to him with refreshing power :—” I suppose I have written briefly exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein you stand” (1 Peter v. 12). He had seasons when Christ as His Saviour was unspeakably precious. A friend, who knew him well, told me that on one occasion, while visiting him, the conversation turned on the depravity of the human heart. One remark led to another until the mystery of iniquity grew deeper and deeper, and, as the worthy man looked into the unclean depths and thought of what he had been delivered from, he gave expression to his feelings in the words, “My lovely Lord and Saviour! what He delivered me from!” uttered with an intensity of feeling that made an indelible impression on the mind of his companion.
When the Free Presbyterian Church was formed in 1893, George cast in his lot with the Free Presbyterians, and through the years, in good report and evil report, he faithfully adhered to the position taken up at that time, while many around him, who made much more noise, fell away from their steadfastness. He counted the cost when he took the step, and valued the testimony that had been raised against the prevailing errors of the day.
No minister could wish for a more helpful or attentive hearer. Before leaving home for the means of grace he spent some time in prayer, and on returning home, the first thing he did was to devote a short time in secret, asking God to bless His truth. He loved “the finest of the wheat,” and could discern between it and husks. Men of George Sutherland’s stamp are becoming rarer and rarer, and though he did not occupy as large a place in public as those who knew of his knowledge of divine truth and deep experience could have wished, still his removal is a great loss to the part of the country to which he belonged, and to the Free Presbyterian Church. One more praying man has gone from Caithness, and those of us who knew him well feel the blank that has been made in the ranks, while cherishing the sure hope that he has gone to be “with Christ, which is far better.” D. B.
— BITS OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE FROM NOTE-BOOK OF LATE GEORGE SUTHERLAND.
The worthy subject of above sketch was, in his early days, fisherman as well as crofter. This explains the allusions to the sea in the following notes of his spiritual experience:—
In a Boat at Sea.—A south-east wind coming ahead of us, we had to go to Portmahomack. After getting into the harbour we lay all night in the boat, expecting to be away early, as there were some more Caithness boats with us. I was lying in the mainsail, and slept for some time, but awakening some time before daylight, my mind was sick and weak for my sins, particularly for the last temptation I was tried with, when these blessed words came rree and full into my soul in an instant, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love” (Jer. xxxi. 3), which had such force of consolation as to carry away my troubles, as a river would clear all before it. This happy state of strength of assurance of Christ’s love did not continue long. Before next night came I was almost as empty in my feeling as ever, although, in the strength of the Most High, I will not forget it in some measure while I live. My trials or temptations did not come to an end, but it defeated Satan and gave deliverance for the time.
1869.—16th October.—Had a precious enlargement at secret prayer after worship in the house, and especially from the words, “Dear in God’s sight is his saints’ death” (Psalms cxvi. 15, metrical).—5th December.—Had a good time, but short, and hoped I saw a great deal in the words, “To be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe” (2 Thess. i. 10).—Had another precious time on these words, “And so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. iv. 17).
1871.—24th September (Sabbath night).—Before going to bed, reading in the prophecy of Micah (fifth chapter) how Christ was to arise to be ruler over Israel, especially over His spiritual Israel, and meditating on the chapter as I could best understand it. After going to bed I dreamed of seeing a man in the house, who, I hope, has gone to his rest, with another man of the same who is yet in time. But I thought they were leaving the house and going away, and as I was thinking with myself, “Who will instruct or advise us now?” I thought as if there came a strong light through my mind, the meaning of which I understood to be that I could do nothing on earth so much to serve God, or to oblige Him, as I understood it, as to believe in Christ; or this, “You wish to know how to serve Me, but the most you can do for Me on earth is to take Christ for your own soul, and believe in Him.” Although we cannot (strictly speaking) oblige Him in anything, but are rather obliged to Him for everything, and helpless in ourselves, if we saw ourselves, the above brought through my mind such a happy sweetness as I could not express in words. But it soon vanished away from that sweet light.
Being one Sabbath evening at Invergordon, went to a prayer meeting or “reading,” where a number of people were assembled. Being under sad and fiery temptations, and having got nothing in the school for help or deliverance, was about to go away as the people were dismissing, when a man in the far-off end of the house rose and said, “Stop, people; till I tell you a note from Dr. M’Donald, Ferintosh. He was saying that, although the lion would be roaring and the serpent hissing, none of the election of grace would be taken off the earth till Christ had accomplished all His designs in them and by them.” This reached me as life from the grave. “A word spoken in season, how good is it.”
CHRIST has a sword of justice and a sword of grace: a sword of justice to cut off incorrigible offenders, and a sword of grace to subdue His chosen people and make them willing in the day of His power.—Payson.