THE late Mr. Hugh Munro died suddenly at his home at Lednaguillean, between two and three miles from Strathy, on the 8th day of August, 1940, at the age of seventy-seven years. His removal by death meant the loss to the Church on earth of a sincere servant of the Lord and of a true friend of the cause of Christ.
According to the information at our disposal, Hugh Munro lived without God, and without hope in the world, until he reached the age of 23 years. While his mother was on what proved her deathbed, he lay on one occasion to rest for a little and fell asleep. On awaking, it happened that his mind was deeply exercised in the 5th Chap. of the Epistle to the Romans. From that time, he read earnestly the Word of God and diligently attended the public means of grace. He passed through deep trouble of mind, being sorely harassed by Satan, but in God’s time, got deliverance. A godly man, related to him through marriage to his Aunt, was very helpful to him at this period, guiding and counselling him.
While little can be now ascertained as to his becoming a member in full communion, and then a missionary, it would have been comparatively soon after Rev. D. Macfarlane and Rev. D. Macdonald separated from the Free Church. He laboured in Scourie and Lochinver, in the Sutherlandshire districts of Lairg, Rogart, Dornoch, and Bonarbridge, in Laide, and in Stoer. We are told that he was especially fond of Stoer. He was heard to remark that he looked forward to the weekly prayer-meetings in the several townships. He was sent by the Church for a period to Tain, to Plockton, and thereafter served the Church at Beauly and Daviot, on alternate Sabbaths, for about eleven years. He was deeply respected in the district of Beauly, and loved by the people, and we believe that this was the case in Daviot also. The main reason for leaving Beauly for his home where he ended his days was his feeling his strength failing, and that visiting was too heavy a tax upon him. Mr. Munro had a certain internal complaint which made walking to any great degree a burden to him. He did what he could in his closing days to help his brother-missionary, Mr. Murdo Mackay, to hold services at Strathy and Farr. It was his intention to hold services at Farr on what proved to be the Sabbath after his death, although seriously warned by his doctor of the undue strain involved in this. He was not spared to see the Farr people on that Sabbath, but may they have the spirit and walk which the late Mr. Munro manifested so consistently for many years. He was a man who loved God, and His Cause, Word, and people. He was a most modest, careful, and kindly-disposed, tender man, who would never intentionally, in a carnal spirit, hurt anyone, but yet was most earnest, and jealous, with a godly jealousy, for the glory of God’s name and the salvation of immortal souls. The cause of Christ in our midst has lost a most loving, humble, praying man of God, who has gone to his everlasting rest. His sudden death, of heart failure, was a sore bereavement to his widow, who manifested by her spirit and conversation, likemindedness with himself, and was a true helpmeet to him. May the Lord uphold, and refresh her in soul with supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and raise up many who will manifest the life of godliness as the late Mr. Munro did. “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them . . . They go from strength to strength; every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.”—D. A. Macf.