MRS. MARGARET THOMSON, Skigersta, affectionately known as “Mair ‘ead Donn,” passed to her everlasting rest on Tuesday, 1st March, at the advanced age of 93. The cause of Christ in the world has lost “a mother in Israel,” and the Free Presbyterian Church in Ness its oldest member. In her early teens, she began to seek “the one thing needful” in view of eternity, and at the age of 17 made a public profession of her faith in Christ. For the long period of 76 years she witnessed to a lost and perishing world the power of Christ to save. Until her ninetieth year she was able to attend the public means of grace—the wells of comfort she had in a long wilderness journey of sorrow and affliction. Her husband and all her family predeceased her, except one son (Donald), an esteemed elder in the Church, in whose home she was lovingly cared for during the latter years of her life.
In her younger days she was a familiar figure at Communions throughout the Island of Lewis, walking at times as far as Uig. On one occasion she walked to and from Barvas the five days of the Communion, leaving in the early morning and returning at night to see her infant, then on the breast, whom she was leaving in the tender care of a friend who is still spared. Her life-long companion in following the means was her like-minded friend, Mrs. Margaret Morrison, who died a year ago at the age of 95. They were known to all as “The Two Margarets.” In all kinds of weather these devout women could be seen wending their way on week-day and Sabbath to the house of God. In the days of the worthy Mr. MacBeath, whose memory is still cherished in the parish, the “Two Margarets” used to walk from Skigersta to the old church at Dell, a distance of five miles, and between the services pass the time in a quiet nook on the moor partaking of a dry piece of bread. The preaching of the Word was precious in those days, and hungry souls were fed under Mr. MacBeath’s ministry with the finest of the wheat. Realising how alarming and widespread the declension from the faith was becoming, Mr. MacBeath, as a true watchman on the Walls of Zion, faithfully warned his people as to their duty when the testing time would come. Years before, in the fifties of last century, the saintly Jonathan R. Anderson, whose works are still treasured by a remnant in Scotland, England and Holland, who value experimental preaching, sounded the trumpet of alarm with no uncertain sound. Drs. Kennedy and Begg, Rev. Alex. MacColl, of Lochalsh, and other princes in Israel also trembled for the safety of the Ark. The crisis came in 1892. Mr MacBeath was then at his rest. The enemy had come in like a flood, but the Spirit of the Lord, according to the promise, raised a standard. In Ness, faithful witnesses, unflinching in their purpose to keep the faith, men of fragrant piety like James Finlayson and Malcolm MacLeod, raised a banner in defence of the Truth. Among those who rallied round it were the “Two Margarets.” They rejoiced in the stand made. They loved Zion, and their heart’s desire and prayer was that the Lord would return to the spiritual desolations of Scotland and raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen. Until death called them they witnessed a good confession. To the youth of Ness they left a noble testimony—their saintly lives evidencing the truth of vital godliness, and their separate walk—their desire, in an age of blasphemy and rebuke, to contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”
“Chum fios bhi aig an àl ri teachd,
A’ Chlann a ta gun bhreith;
‘S gu’n innseadh iad do’n linn ‘nan déigh
Na nithe sin fa leth.”—Salm lxxviii. 6.—W. M.