THE late Simon Campbell, who died in Beauly, in November of 1932, was an Israelite indeed in whom was no guile. He was brother-in-law to Alexander Mackenzie, of whom we have just been writing. They were both exemplary in their lives, alive to the plague within, rejoicing in the remedy, fearing God and eschewing evil, yet how greatly they differed from one another in characteristics and temperament! Simon Campbell was, after a manner, an exposition of the word, “Happy art thou, O Israel!” He was happy in being allowed of the Lord to attend His house at all!—and doubtless the Lord of the house gave him from time to time that meat to eat which the world knoweth not of. He could neither read the Gaelic nor the English Bible, but the word dwelt richly in him for all that. The gospel that the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth from all sin, made Simon Campbell happy. “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice,” was no burdensome appeal to Simon, although he was not ignorant of Satan’s fiery darts and his own stoniness. He suffered long and patiently in his closing days, and was lovingly cared for. He had little to say of himself, at least in the way of complaint, when one visited him. He had such a lengthy mental list of friends whom he longed to know of that one might think he scarcely was weak and ill at all. To be in the company of the brethren, to be able to go to the house of God or to a Communion was Simon’s
heaven upon earth. Had this aged Israelite lived in Judah’s land in Old Testament times, he would have been among the foremost to be up at the holy feasts thrice in the year. He would not have felt the command grievous although a cypher were added to the figure three, for going up every year to Jerusalem, “to God’s name thanks to pay.”
We need not remark much on the details of his life in the world. He belonged to Scorraig—was by occupation a shepherd, went to the Falkland Isles, and fled from them on account of unnecessary Sabbath-work—finally came to reside in Beauly and died at the age of 76 years.
Mr. Samuel Fraser, elder, wrote to me at the time:—”Dear old Simon Campbell passed away to his eternal rest on Sabbath morning at 5 a.m. (i.e., 13th November). What a Sabbath it would have been for him! . . . The funeral is to take place . . . to the Urray Cemetery. Rev. Mr. Macqueen is expected to be present, and Rev. D. J. Matheson may be there also . . . .” A number of the brethren were able to be present at his burial, and is not Simon Campbell among Christ’s “kings,” for that he did good in Israel, both toward God and toward His house?
May the Lord deal bountifully with the household of this worthy man that they may be with him when the former things are passed away!—D. A. MacF.