IT is said about some of our fellow-men, that they are the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. Solomon observed in his own day and generation that “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”
The subject of this short notice was like what Solomon said about the righteous, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Hector MacLean was born in the township of Kensalroag, near Dunvegan, some sixty-three years ago, and was like the rest of Adam’s fallen sons, until the Spirit and Word of God began to deal savingly with his precious soul. He passed through fiery trials, and was made conscious of his utter loss through Adam’s first transgression, and his own actual guilt. The carnal notions he had about the law of God, his ignorance of his own responsibility, the Wrath to come against all ungodliness, and the opening up of an infinite Eternity, before his immortal being, left him, for a time, like the man described in Ps. 107—”Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near to the gates of death.” On several occasions he said to us that his case was hopeless forever, that he was a ruined, lost man. However, when the Lord’s time came to deliver Hector, and to reveal to his soul by the Blessed Spirit, the way of Salvation through Christ and Him Crucified, it was obvious enough to those that had any spiritual discernment, that he was enjoying, by faith, the sweet consolations of the Gospel. He began to take an active part in the Cause of Christ publicly, and was a man whom the people loved and admired, because of his humble, self-denying attitude towards each and all of them. It could be said of Hector that he was “an Israëlite indeed in whom is no guile.” He was no less a favourite with the Lord’s people who knew him. His humility endeared him to all that knew him.
We said to Hector on one occasion that if Mr. Archibald Stewart could not, at times, manage to be at Watten for the Sabbath services, that he would not let the people return home, without keeping the meeting himself. “I cannot,” he said, “address the people, but I can read the Blessed Word of God to them (he was an excellent reader in Gaelic), and that is infinitely better than anything I can say.” Not but our friend was quite capable of giving in his own humble way an edifying exposition of passages of the Word of God, but he was too modest to consider that he was in the least worthy of addressing the people in public. Hector had no place for the bold layman, that aspires to the pastorate, without the necessary qualifications and authority. He was faithful and upright in his walk and conversation. His love to the Cause of Christ in the Free Presbyterian Church was steadfast; he was not to be moved by the aspersions cast upon the leaders of our Church, by time-servers, who sought the applause of men above the glory of God. He was enabled to discern who were the Nehemias and who were undoubtedly the Sanballats!
A year last September, on our way from Waternish, we met Hector about a mile away from his own home (he was a road contractor), and as we stopped the car we asked him to come in. He did so, and after he was seated, by way of drawing him, we said to him, “Surely it is time you gave up your worldliness, and take it more easily.” He paused for a little and said, “Well, I thought once that it was impossible for me to get enough work done in a worldly manner, but, since a considerable time now, my mind has been so freed from this world, and its environment that one or two things must take place in my case, my mind is continuously drawn out after Eternal Realities, and either I have to pass through terrible trials and fiery temptations or else I am quite near my journey’s end.” He said it with such solemnity and we felt such force in it, that we could say nothing, but felt sad at heart that we had to part with Hector so soon. He was a ripe fruit. About a fortnight after the above instance we heard on our return home from another part of the congregation, that our friend was seriously ill. We called to see him; he had just returned from consulting the parish doctor, who, on examination, ordered him away to Glasgow for medical attention, for it was obvious to the local doctor that his trouble was of a malignant nature. He went to Glasgow; friends there and medical skill did all that was humanly possible for him, to mitigate his physical sufferings, and to cure his malady, but his illness proved fatal. His end came, and behold! it was peace. His remains were conveyed to his native island and lie, until the blast of the last trumpet in the churchyard of Struan, Bracadale, where the dust of many of the Lord’s people are laid to rest. The eminent Rev. Roderick MacLeod, and other excellent men and women lie there as to their mortal remains, and at the final resurrection, the blessed just shall rise first, and we believe, Hector MacLean shall rise among the just, in that day to give Christ the full, final, and eternal praise of His Redemption, through His blood from sin, hell, devils, cruel world and corruption. It will be undoubtedly a glorious resurrection for the people of God.
We would make this one remark, particularly to the congregation of Vatten, if any of them shall be on the left hand of the Redeemer of the lost at the Great Day of Judgment, Hector MacLean shall be a swift witness against them for refusing and rejecting the Blessed Saviour, the free offer of the Gospel!
Hector left a widow, four sons, and three daughters to mourn his loss. The youngest of the family, a son, was over fourteen years of age at the time of their father’s death. We plead with the children to consider well their father’s end, and to seek to the God of their father, and to search diligently a lasting interest in the finished work of Christ and to adhere strenuously to the Bible as the Word of God, that liveth and abideth forever.
Shortly, I believe, a week before Hector passed away to his Eternal Rest, his daughter in Glasgow called to see her dying father, as often as she was allowed to do so. On one occasion, her father handed to her the Bible, which he took with him when he left his home, remarking, “Take it home, I am finished with it now.” Yes, he was finished with it now; his eyesight failing, his natural life ebbing out, he was no longer able to read it, but its Divine impress made an indelible impression upon his Immortal Soul, for there he found Christ and Him Crucified, the Way, the Truth, and the Life and the only way unto the Father. The blessed means below were now about to give place for Eternity to the solemn, holy, and unchangeable worship of the sanctuary above.
After the removal of the worthy Duncan MacKinnon and Hector MacLean, we felt to a large extent, that which had bound us to Skye had been broken. As one of our missionaries said of our late friend, that Hector MacLean was more useful, and active than some men, who were thirty years in the public profession of Christ. He is sadly missed at Vatten, but our loss is his eternal gain.
We extend to the widow, sons and daughters our deepest sympathy, and may the Lord shine upon them in Christ, and bless them for His name’s sake. J. M.