WILLIAM was born at Achmore, Lewis, and notwithstanding the inestimable privilege of being brought up under the example and precepts of his godly father and mother, he grew and lived unconcerned for eternity until he reached the allotted span. He was a good tradesman, and enjoyed the confidence of his employers, whose interests always received from William due concern and attention. Having good health and a very strong constitution, he worked right through until three years ago (when 72), having found himself in the grip of a malignant malady, he was forced to retire. On being told of his trouble necessitating an operation, which could only be done South, he became very dejected. Although up to this he manifested no concern in spiritual matters, it was remarkable how certain he was to be in his pew on Sabbath, whether at home or not. Through the failing of his eyesight, a commendable fact was brought to light, which proved that he was not at all the stranger to the truth his apparent irreligion would make him out to be, and an inattentive listener in the house of God. He would almost invariably give chapter and verse of the portion of Scripture which he desired read to him. Having now become concerned, this knowledge of the letter of the Word, with the memory of much that he had heard from the pulpit, proved a blessing to him under the teaching and stirring of the Spirit. The writer regrets he cannot recall the passage William said which encouraged him to go South for his operation, and supported him much while there. He was sent home incurable, with a private message to his wife informing her she might expect the end within eight months. But he outlived this time by over two years. The doctor evidently underestimated the extraordinary strength of his constitution.
It was not long after his return when he was enabled to entertain hope concerning the salvation of his soul. The first ray of hope he thought he enjoyed was through a sermon which he heard six years before from Mr Macintyre on Is. lx. 10—”Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light. Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God” coming back to his memory. His memory was good and retentive, and with many other things the home teaching was now having a resurrection, and he was not idle, bed-ridden though he was. He came through several temptations, and the child-like simplicity with which he would relate his experiences in them and his deliverances were very interesting and edifying. On one occasion, when very depressed, he said to two friends:—”I am either in Christ or out of Him to-night, and I do not know which.” One of the friends answered:—”Your question seems to be from the Lord, and the Lord will answer it, and I do not think He will keep you long in your awful suspense.” Two nights later one of the friends called, and found William nothing better. To the question, “Where will we read?” he answered, “Where you please.” On reading the 5th Chapter of John slowly, he said at a certain verse—”Stop! read that verse again; well, if that is true, I am in Christ after all.” His bonds were burst asunder, and his countenance changed. Since then, William would always quote the passage in his prayers. Some time after, a kind, old Christian friend visited him. At the time William was suffering much pain, but tried to listen to the aged Christian relate some experiences in connection with the deliverance of the sinner out of sin, and sin out of the sinner, which seemed somewhat confusing to poor William, in his bodily agony at the time, which the friend did not fully observe. “Are you done now?” he asked. “Yes,” was the reply. “Well, I do not know whether or not I followed you in what you said, but I tell you it is written—’Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.’ I cast my anchor in that verse, where I feel safe, although I don’t know much about what you say.” On one occasion, hearing of a friend being seriously ill, he said, “Tell him to come daily to the Cross, to look upon Christ and the awful burden He carried.” To another he sent the message—”The truth is worth believing. Jesus Christ is unsearchably rich, and is as unsearchably kind and liberal as He is rich, and of such generous forgiveness that He will not condescend to look at the amount of the debt. He is remitting and forgiving, and that he (Kenneth) is as welcome to come with his sins as I was.”
During the last fifteen months of his earthly journey, he frequently expressed the desire of getting ease from pain and strength at the Communion time as would permit of his going forward to the Lord’s Table. This, however, was not to be, but William was resigned to the good-will of Him who does all things well, and from his bed never missed an opportunity of speaking well of Him who loved him and gave Himself for him. When he realised he was nearing the end, he often asked that the 23rd Psalm be read to him, as the most suitable portion for him now. Within half-an-hour of the change, Mr Donald J. Matheson, student, read this Psalm and prayed with him, and carried away a very solemn impression. We believe our late friend is now at the table above. It was said to David that he was not to build the house, but that it was good he had it in his heart to do so. At the prospect of Mr Macintyre leaving Stornoway, William was much perplexed, but latterly he was quite reconciled, believing the Lord would provide a pastor for the shepherdless flock. Several friends outside the Lews, who were privileged to visit William during the past three years, will have pleasant recollections of their intercourse with him. To his sorrowing widow, whose devoted nursing of him is beyond praise, and to his grown-up family, we extend our sincere sympathy in their bereavement.
A. McK.
Blessing comes in at the back door, while we are expecting it at the front, and truly thus the friend thou art looking for may be in thine house, and thou know it not.—Gurnall.
Short Gleanings from Boston’s “Crook in the Lot.”
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There are many now in heaven who are blessing God for the crook they had in their lot here. What a sad thing must it then be to lose this teeth-wind for Immanuel’s land.
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Delays are not denials of suits at the court of heaven, but trials of the faith and patience of the petitioners. And whoso will persevere will certainly speed at length. Luke xviii. 7, 8: “And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.”
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“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.” This will balance the crook in your lot be it what it will; while they who have no well-grounded hope of salvation will find the crook in their lot in this world such a weight as they have nothing to counterbalance it; but the hope of eternal rest may bear up under all the toil and trouble met with here.
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What makes the yoke gall our necks, but that we struggle so much against it, and cannot let it sit at ease on us (Jer. xxxi. 18). How often are we, in that case, like men dashing their heads against a rock to remove it! The rock stands unmoved, but they are wounded and lose exceedingly by their struggle.
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The decree of God, purposing the crook for us from eternity; “for He worketh all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph. i. 11), is in the sealed book, in which are written all the black lines that made the crook. Whatever valleys of darkness, grief, and sorrow we are carried through, we are to look on them as made by the mountains of brass, the immovable divine purposes (Zech. vi. 1).
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The question betwixt heaven and us is, whether God’s will or our own must prevail? Our will is corrupt, God’s will is holy; they cannot agree in one. God says in His providence our will must yield to His, but that it will not do till the iron sinew in it be broken (Roms. viii. 7; Isai. xlviii. 4).
O grey-headed sinners! I could weep over you. Your grey hairs, which ought to be your crown, are now your shame.—George Whitefield