ARCHIBALD MACLEISH, born at Ascoig, parish of Kilfinan, Argyll, in 1830, was one of a large family, of whom he left none remaining behind when he entered into his rest on the 20th of December last. He came to Canada in 1843, and settled with the family in East Williams, Middlesex County, Ontario. Some years later he settled on the farm in West Williams, where he died. Of his early childhood and of his boyhood days little can be said. He is reputed, by one remaining who was intimately acquainted with him during more than three score and ten years, to have been a quiet and sober-minded youth. He does not seem ever to have been ready to lift the veil that hid from other eyes the secrets of his soul’s experience. It is a happy thing when one can be so readily known by his fruits as was he. It was not in his character to attempt to play Mr. Facing-both-ways. Yet one could wish to learn of that momentous change in him, what time he was delivered from under the power of sin and Satan and was translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. The very clearness of the testimony borne by his walk and conversation to the fact of such a change arouses one’s interest to discover an account of that change itself. Here we have very little to go upon. The first settled ministry under which he sat in Canada was that of Rev. Lachlan Macpherson, of whose sermons a number have appeared in these pages. He was but little past twenty when this rich privilege became his. To judge from his ardent admiration for this man, one would be ready to look upon Mr. Macpherson as the messenger through whom he first heard the word with saving power. No more constant sympathiser did his minister have than he.
It was some years after the Union of 1875, when the Presbyterian Church of Canada, as at present constituted, was formed, that he was ordained an elder. Previously to that time he had become somewhat acquainted with like-minded friends in the North through meeting them at Brucefield. There in Mr. Ross’s day they gathered from North and South at communion seasons. It was rather, however, through conversation with Rev. R. D. Mackay in later days that he became deeply impressed with the sterling worth of these brethren from Kincardine and Lochalsh. After connection was established with the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland this acquaintance grew into warm intimacy. Through visits to the North at communion seasons he came to be known and esteemed throughout our Ontario congregation.
He was a warm-hearted man and a constant friend. It never was a puzzle to know where he would take his stand in questions relating to the upholding of a thoroughgoing uncompromising scriptural testimony. For half-heartedness in cleaving to Christ’s Word he had only sharp reproof. As is often to be noticed with such earnest sincerity and unaffectedness a lively vein of humour
frequently revealed itself. Having on one occasion been told that he was three hundred years behind the times in his views on purity of worship, he made the remark that it was useless for him to think of catching up in the little while that was left him here.
But he was not inclined to attempt any such task. He loved the Psalms. He received them into a good and understanding heart. He loved to sing them. Others liked to hear his sweet, melodious voice sound forth in leading the praise in public. Knowing that the voice of the Good Shepherd directed him to sing these Psalms of David, and being firmly convinced that it was a stranger’s voice that called him to give other songs their place, he was not disposed to deal kindly with the displacing of the Psalms. Yet it was in no legal spirit he held on his way. His heart could discern no reason for leaving the pure stream of the Psalms for any waters fouled by the feet of erring human teachers. When bodily strength was ebbing to the close, he would sometimes seem too weak to take an active part at family worship. The singing of the Psalm would revive him, and he would sing many verses, saying that there was a taste of heaven from the Psalms. Toward the end he dwelt with emphasis upon the 51st and the 23rd Psalm.
The weight of over fourscore years was bearing heavily upon his robust frame for some years before the end. It was with difficulty that he attended the services when Rev. D. Beaton was here in 1916. Yet that time was one of reviving to him, so that he was able to attend the services for a Sabbath or two after Mr. Beaton’s visit. The many miles he lived from the place of meeting never interfered with his attendance on the public means of grace, either during Mr. Macpherson’s day, or afterwards, until shortly before the end. The weight of responsibility in connection with these services, in the absence of regular ministerial supply, fell upon him, until comparatively recently. During the time that he was thus detained from the assembly he loved so well, and especially of late, he longed for the companionship of those who feared the Lord. In his family round about him he enjoyed the fellowship of those like-minded, but he could not but feel as one who used to joy when they said to him, “Let us go up to the house of the Lord,” but who was to go up thus to that house on earth no more again for ever.
He is no more with us, for the Lord took him. May the Lord regard us with a pitying eye! May we learn in truth that it is not in Him we are straitened, but in ourselves! To the various members of his family, we extend our heartfelt sympathy.
W. M.
GLORY follows affliction, not as the day follows the night, but as the spring follows winter; for the winter prepares the earth for the spring. So doth sanctified affliction prepare the soul for glory.—Sibbes.
Interesting Report of South African Mission.
BY REV. J. B. RADASI, F.P. MISSIONARY, MATABELELAND.
J. B. RADASI.