ONE by one of those who were with us in the early days of our Church are passing away, and in the removal of Mr William Couper it is our lot to record the death of another of our office-bearers who through good report and evil continued steadfastly in the faith. Mr Couper was born at Waas, Janetstown, Thurso, but most of his life was spent in Wick. Though we are not in a position to say when the great change came that turned him from darkness to light, yet it was manifest to all who knew him that such a momentous change had taken place. His deep interest in the things of God, his consistent Christian walk, and his steadfast adherence to God’s truth all proclaimed that he was a follower of the Lord Jesus. He was a man who read widely, and did not hesitate to use his pen in the press in combating what he considered to be antagonistic to God’s revealed will. A keen student of languages, he made such proficiency in some of the ancient tongues and modern languages as to be able to read them. Among those acquired by him was Gaelic, and during the fishing season he delighted in getting into touch with the Free Presbyterian fishworkers—men and women—and holding meetings and conducting family worship in Gaelic with them. He was an assiduous visitor of the sick, and no minister could wish for a more helpful office-bearer in this direction.
In 1902 he was appointed a deacon, and in 1911 he was elected to the eldership, and during all these years he acted faithfully to his solemn ordination promises. Whoever might waver when there were agitations in our Church for joining the Free Church, Mr Couper was not one of them. His steadfastness to principle and his loyalty to the Church whose doctrine and practice he solemnly professed to accept at his ordination, were highly commendable and fine traits of his character. His sterling honesty of purpose in seeking to promote in his sphere the interests of the Redeemer’s kingdom was a witness to all those with whom he came into contact. He was widely awake to the many snares Satan is setting for the young in our day, and he scarcely ever prayed in public but there was a petition that Satan’s devices for entrapping the young might be frustrated. We shall hear no more these prayers from his lips, but may the young in Wick congregation and other congregations shun with all their heart those devices of the devil that bring shame and sorrow to themselves and others even in time itself, to say nothing of what the portion of evil doers will be in eternity. The young people of this generation can not play with fire and not find as others have found that it burns.
The Wick congregation mourns the loss of a faithful and consistent office-bearer, and the writer a helpful and sterling friend. One could see for some months before the end came that some deadly malady was at work, but as there was no pain, he was bright and cheerful, except when overcome occasionally with fits of sickness. Some time before his trouble began, it could be seen that he was very much affected under the preaching, and that his interest in the things of the world was gradually passing away. He passed away peacefully without any struggle on 4th January of this year—”Behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace” (Ps. xxxvii. 37.).
A widow, a daughter, and two sons (one of whom is a sergeant in the Scots Guards, presently serving in China), mourn the loss of a devoted husband and father. To them we extend our heartfelt sympathy, and our desire is that the prayers offered up on their behalf will be answered in the Lord’s good time.