AFTER a prolonged paralytic illness, this affectionate Christian lady, in the sixty-eighth year of her life, and in her home at Ellerslie, on Thursday night, 16th October, 1919, slept in Jesus. On the 19th the funeral, to Grafton Cemetery, was largely attended. Mrs. MacLachlan, née Annie MacDonald, was highly esteemed throughout the Clarence District. Her death has made a big blank in our small congregation.
She was the eldest daughter in a large family. She was naturally of an amiable disposition, and studious, and always a favourite with her teachers. She was a fairly good Gaelic scholar. At the age of twenty-one she married Mr. Duncan MacLachlan, a genial and kind gentleman, who in his youth, along with his parents and the other members of the family, emigrated from Kilmory, Ardnamurchan.
In 1897 she was under deep conviction of sin. “Thine arrows stick fast in me, and Thy hand presseth me sore.” As the Communion season was approaching, she was on the verge of despair, but during that period the Lord brought her from death to life, and from darkness to light. “O Lord, I will praise thee, though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song: he also is become my salvation.” The potent change from death to life was to her a season of holy joy and gladness. With joy she drew water out of the wells of salvation. The following year she became a member in full communion, and, to the end, she maintained a most consistent Christian profession. She was much attached to the Lord’s people and greatly enjoyed their Christian fellowship, and delighted to minister to them. “They that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name.”
The settlement at Brushgrove, in 1895, of the late Rev. Walter Scott greatly encouraged her, and she much relished his fourteen years’ faithful ministry. In her public testimony for the Word of God she refused to make any compromise. She held most firmly by the position taken up by the Reconstituted Synod of East Australia. In 1891 a congregation was formed at Brushgrove and Grafton, and the Ellerslie family was among those that joined. No one was truer to the remnant of that body than she was. Certainly no one, even in the Home Country, loved the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland more than she did. It was keen grief to her that the congregation was so many years without a settled ministry, and it was her heart’s desire that a true ambassador of Christ should be placed over them. The congregation is vacant twelve years.
At her happy home at Ellerslie we passed very pleasant and profitable days. Their memory is still fragrant. Mrs. MacLachlan herself was possessed of a lovely character, combined with becoming and unassuming dignity. “The memory of the just is blessed.” Our farewell was very solemn. We cannot forget it.
To the husband, the three daughters and two sons, and to the brothers and sisters, and other relatives we extend our heart sympathy, and commend them to God and to the Word of His grace!
D. MACK.