A soldier lay on his dying couch, during our last war, and they heard him say—”Here!” They asked him what he wanted, and he put up his hand, saying, “Hush! they are calling the roll of Heaven, and I am answering to my name.” Presently he whispered. “Here!” and he was gone.—Sword and Trowel.
The Late Mr Lachlan Macpherson, Elder, Braes, Portree.
THE late Mr Lachlan Macpherson was born at Knock, in the parish of Sleat, Skye, on the 13th November 1839. He came to Portree with his parents when a child, and was brought up in the Braes district. When about 20 years of age, he came under the power of the truth, and the late Mr Walter Mackay, missionary, appears to have been the instrument used in his conversion. He became a member of Portree Free Church congregation, and was a deacon when he left that Church in 1893.
With the late Mr Neil Mackinnon and several others like-minded, he joined whole-heartedly in the testimony raised by the Free Presbyterian Church, and was no doubt constrained to do this by his love for God’s Word, and as a protest against the Declaratory Act, which opened the way for the advancement of all sorts of heresies in the Free Church. In due time he was made an elder, and eventually became the oldest office-bearer in the congregation of Portree.
It grieved him very much to see those whom he loved and respected leave our Church for another denomination, and he used to say, before some of them left, to the late minister of the congregation—”You and I must be faithful anyway.” The Apostle James says that he who wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. One can never be sure of the waverers. Sometimes they are on this side, sometimes on that, but Lachlan was never of this type. He was firm and constant in his adherence to the truth and the principles of the Church.
Although always a healthy man, he latterly suffered from rheumatism, and about a year and a-half before his death he had a slight shock, from which he partially recovered, but last winter began to lose his strength gradually, until he passed away.
While he had the strength to come out of doors he was diligent in attending the means of grace, and towards the end was much given to prayer.
Consistency of conduct and straightforwardness were conspicuous features in his character. Like Nathaniel of old, it might be truly said of him—”Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile.” One could scarcely meet a kinder and more hospitable man. In his exercises he was brief, pointed, and spiritual, giving
one the impression that he knew the plague of his own heart, and that his hope for eternity was not in his own righteousness, but in the infinite merit and finished work of the Lord Jesus. For deliverance from the bondage of sin and Satan he depended on the free and sovereign grace of his Saviour.
In appearance he reminded one of the patriarchs—his long white hair and beard gave him a venerable look, especially when among his brother elders in the church Session.
To the last he was attended by his devoted wife and family with unremitting care. He used to say himself that he always did his best to keep the Fifth Commandment, and the promise attached to it was fulfilled in his case. He lived long on the earth, and his own family were very attentive to all his wants.
On the 13th of December 1923, he passed peacefully to his eternal rest, in his eighty-fourth year. To his widow and family we extend our deepest sympathy in their severe loss, and our desire is that they may be enabled through grace to follow in the footsteps of those who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises.
D. M. M.
The Late Angus Macleod, Achmelvich, Lochinver.
DEATH comes to all, alike to the righteous and the wicked. Thus the original penalty threatened by God upon Adam and his descendants on account of sin takes effect in every case. But death to the righteous is by far a different thing to death to the wicked. With regard to the former, the sting of death is removed and assumes for them the benevolent character of a friend in giving a speedy entrance of their souls to eternal bliss. While with respect to the latter, the sting remains, and death effects a quick removal to everlasting woe. O what a solemn thought!
To the former class we believe Angus Macleod belonged. He was 81 years old when he died last March. Owing to the singular reticence of this good man about himself, his earlier and later experience, we are unable to give a minute account of how the Lord began to deal with him. But that He dealt with him graciously was evident to all who knew him and heard him speaking in public. Such was his reserve and bashfulness that his sterling worth could not be known
by any but by those who were accustomed to hear his edifying exposition of the truth, and by strangers listening to him at the Friday Fellowship Meetings. On the latter occasions he invariably gave expression to some original idea that clung to one’s mind, and his comparisons were apt and pointed. What fault could be found with him was in studiously avoiding their application as bearing upon himself, but as bearing truly upon those who were God’s people.
It is a remarkable fact that he never made a public profession of his faith, and it might well be that his reserved attitude and backwardness arose partly at least from the disadvantageous use which Satan might make of it to himself, that he did not bear the public profession on the side of his Lord. The writer put it seriously to him on one occasion that he was outwith the path of duty, and that there was some inconsistency in his expounding the truth publicly in the church, and his not bearing public witness by coming forward to the Lord’s Table. After we got his reply we did not again approach him on the subject. His answer was to this effect:—”Some people imagine I am following the example given by that great man, Alexander Kerr, who once lived here (the latter was an eminent man in his day); but that is not at all the case. I have to confess that an occasion arose at one time of my life and in my experience, in which I found it easy or at least possible to communicate. But I let that opportunity pass, and I never got it again. That is my sole reason.”
He laboured under physical disabilities for three or four years of his life, which rendered him incapable of attending on the means of grace. He was withal a most intelligent man, and read incessantly and unwearingly the writings of the Puritans. He quoted these authors with ease, as he was endowed with a retentive memory. Humility and modesty characterised him in no small degree. The Word of God was his chief text-book, and all else will have to take the background to give supreme place to the word of life when the Christian is drawing nigh to the river. Nothing else will support the gracious soul in so immediate a prospect as the heavenly food. He was also a man very much exercised in prayer. What added grief and poignancy to his removal when such was to be looked for at his age, was the early death of one of his two daughters, at 41 years of age, three days after her father’s death—of pleurisy and pneumonia. An only son—and a most dutiful and respectful son he was—
was drowned during the war. This, humanly speaking, hastened the mother’s death some years ago, for she was never well after the loss of this son. It told deeply on the father as well. But he is gone, and the Lochinver congregation is poorer, though he is the gainer. He was staunch in his adherence to the principles for which the Free Presbyterian Church came out and contended.
To the only surviving and lonely daughter we extend our deepest sympathy and prayer that her father’s God be her God and portion for ever.
M. M.
Mrs Janet Mackenzie, Balchladdich, Stoer.
THE subject of this brief notice died on january last, and was born 79 years ago. It would appear from what we could gather of her earlier life that the Most High began to awaken serious thoughts in her mind as to her lost condition when she was about 30 years of age. The word of truth was gradually making an avenue to her heart and the preached word helped to deepen conviction and fasten the reality of eternal things more vividly and securely upon her conscience. For a time she inclined to rest safely in these experiences as being sufficient for another world. A resting in a false peace and in a name to live is exceedingly dangerous, and all alike are predisposed to rest in a refuge of lies unless the Holy Spirit brings them out of it and leads them to Christ. In this she was brought to see her folly and deception. On one occasion she overheard some of the Lord’s people speaking on the Spirit’s work in the soul which she could not follow and this led her to self-examination and to fear she had not the root of the matter in her, while she was thus musing upon her state, that word came into her mind: “Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light.” This truth encouraged her, but the time of deliverance evidently had not yet come.
A good share of the troubles and adverse vicissitudes of life were not wanting in her earthly lot; for her husband was bedridden a long number of years, while her family were yet weak and young, and unable to do much for themselves. But the Lord brought her and them through. In reference to the time at which she was brought into the liberty that is in Christ, the words which were the means, we understand, were:— “Speak comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her
that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” The flesh seeks to rest upon something else than in the way of salvation by a crucified Saviour. Such as the Lord takes savingly in hand and brings into possession of the blessings of salvation are not left to their own wicked devices and empty resources. He leads them by a way they know not, and sheds His own love abroad in their hearts, and draws them effectually and makes them willing in a day of His power until Christ becomes most truly and really their “all in all.” Tears, prayers, repentance, reformation, good feelings, and good works, if they could have them, will not in their estimation avail, in point of acceptance, before the infinitely Holy One. They do not, however, ignore the necessity of these as evidences and accompaniments of saving grace. On the contrary, they much lament their want of a constant spiritual frame and of the fruits meet for repentance.
It cannot be said that Janet had, during her course, those racking soul trials which marked the Christian life of some of the Lord’s people. She had a comparatively smooth course, but she was not a stranger to Satan’s temptations. She was laid aside for over a year, but the latter months of her life were passed in acute pain of body, which became well-nigh unbearable a few days before she died. Some weeks before she died she had great soul conflict, and was deeply depressed as to her state before the Lord. Her hope was exceedingly faint. She appeared oblivious to all earthly things. But her hope revived, and her faith got strength, and her last thoughts and words were on a crucified Saviour. She regularly attended God’s house until laid aside. It was her chief delight to listen to the Gospel preached in purity and faithfulness, and rapt attention marked her attitude in this connection.
The testimony of the Free Presbyterian Church she loved and adhered to with unfaltering loyalty, and looked upon it as an essential to witnessing against errors and evil practices. To the members of her family left to mourn her loss we extend our deep sympathy.
The life of a natural man is one departure from God. He is not only not quite right; he is altogether wrong. Every step he takes is a step of departure further and further from God.—J. H. Evans.