THE above member of the Kilmorack congregation, who passed to his rest on the 25th day of September, 1931, at the ripe age of 84 years, was born quite near the farm of Craigseorrie. His parents came there when he was about four years of age, and thus Peter Stewart passed eighty years of his life in that place. He, as the parish generally was, was favoured in his early days with a godly ministry—the minister of the Free Church being Mr. Mackenzie. As a lad he attended the Free Church School of the district, which is now the Free Presbyterian Meeting-house. Peter Stewart learned to read there, and on many a Sabbath-day, when supply from Inverness could not be secured, he himself read the sermon to the people. He was a good reader, like Alexander Gray, Lairg, and good readers who carry one along with them and, unconsciously to oneself, rivet the attention, are not probably very common. How he came to a knowledge of the Saviour savingly we do not know very precisely. It is believed that the preaching of Dr. Kennedy was the means of his awakening to concern for his immortal soul, and probably it was thereby he got relief also. He was naturally of a very reserved disposition, and unbosomed himself to very few. One of his intimate friends was Simon Campbell, Brolan, in whose house weekly meetings were conducted. Simon Campbell would, no doubt, have been a kind of elder brother and guide to him in these days. Peter Stewart did not become a member in full communion until some years after 1893. He was an earnest, zealous and consistent believer, and a firm upholder of the faith when a stand had to be taken owing to the passing of the Declaratory Act, which nullified any really genuine adherence to the Confession of Faith on the part of office-bearers.
Peter Stewart was not gifted as a speaker to any great degree, but was an upright, firm Christian, who would have nothing but the truth. To see the cause of Christ prospering, souls being brought to the feet of the Redeemer and his own soul being refreshed and those of the godly, was his longing and unfeigned desire. His home was an open one for supply and on Communion occasions. He was an invalid for about four years before the end, but able to be up almost daily, and once and again was taken in his wheeled chair to the place of meeting on the Communion Sabbaths. He was often heard in the night-time meditating on the 119th Psalm—the Holy Spirit evidently “restoring his soul” thereby.
His removal to his everlasting rest, and that of William Macdonald, Kirkhill, is a solemn knocking of God at the doors of the Kilmorack people’s hearts—both of our Church and of every denomination—to labour and wrestle to have the fear of God, love to His whole truth and delight in His Day and dwelling-place, which both these godly men manifested in life.
The mortal remains of Peter Stewart were laid to rest near those of Mr. John Cameron—the late missionary of Tomatin, in the burying-ground of Kilmorack. With his sorrowing widow and sons we sincerely sympathise.
D. A. MacF.