IN reading the biographies of religious men one often comes across references to sermons that at some time or other impressed them. The state of mind, or the circumstances of the hearer may to some extent account for the impression. In the case of those hearing the truth by the divine Spirit, that is in those cases where it is received with much assurance and joy of the Holy Ghost an ineffaceable impression is made. There are instances recorded where the seed sown did not take root until many years after and the Saviour has told us of those who received the seed with joy but the joy was short lived. No one, it is true, can analyse the feelings of the heart infallibly. That prerogative belongs to the Searcher of hearts but there are occasions when impressions made in listening to the truth continue for many years and even for a lifetime. Many of the readers of the Magazine must have had such experiences and the writer thought it good to put on paper a few thoughts on this subject.
To begin with he may recall a note he heard many years ago from a sermon by the Rev. Neil MacIntyre preached on the Monday of a Communion at Fort William in which he told of a sermon preached many years before at Onich (near Fort William) by that eminent preacher of the Gospel, Rev. John MacQueen, Strontian (afterwards of the Free Church, Daviot) on the text, “We were eyewitnesses of His Majesty.” The sermon it would appear made an extraordinary impression on many of the hearers as the following incidents will indicate. On my way home to Oban from Fort William I was in the habit of calling on a worthy man in Glencoe, Mr. George Brown, farm manager to Lord Strathcona. As I was making my way to his house, situated beside the Signal Stone so-called because it was at this spot the signal shot was fired for the commencement of the Glencoe Massacre in 1694. Mr. Brown was in the fields looking after the sheep but on recognizing his visitors he made for the main road and after the usual salutations, without more ado, he began to speak of the wonderful sermon he heard at Onich over 50 years before on the text, “We were eye witnesses of His Majesty.” Mr. Brown had a retentive memory and I was privileged to hear from the lips of a deeply impressed hearer the substance of a sermon which left such an impression on so many of the hearers. Another hearer who used to speak about that sermon was the worthy Mr. Andrew Cameron, Oban. As I listened to these accounts I could not help feeling that there were others than the Disciples who could say on that memorable day at Onich: “We were eyewitnesses of His Majesty.”
John Brown, Haddington, mentions that as a shepherd lad he used to cross the hills to hear Ralph Erskine preach and his experience under that preaching as recorded in the words: “And there we met with the God of Israel face to face.” That surely was real preaching. There is another anecdote worth recording in this connection. A preacher of the Gospel, whose name is unknown to me was pouring forth the gracious Gospel message with such unction that one of his hearers rising in the congregation, forgetful of where he was addressed the preacher in the words: “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel peace and bring glad tidings of good things” (Rom. x. 15). The minister without being put out turned to his happy hearer with the appropriate words:
O greatly bless’d the people are
The joyful sound that know;
In brightness of thy face, O Lord,
They ever on shall go.
They in thy name shall all the day rejoice exceedingly
And in thy righteousness shall they exalted be on high.
The writer remembers after an interval of fifty years not a few sermons he heard from the older ministers of our Church who are now at their everlasting rest. One stands out clearly on the page of memory. It was preached by Rev. D. MacDonald on a Communion occasion in Pulleneytown Academy (Wick). The subject was Joseph making himself known to his brethren. As the preacher in an ecstasy of delight spoke of Joseph of the New Testament. The Lord’s people present drank in the sweet message and they too were soon in an ecstasy of delight also as was manifest when they came out of the meeting and held sweet intercourse with one another. Another sermon written on memory’s page was one by the Rev. D. MacFarlane on the Friday night of a Communion in St. Jude’s. The subject was justification by faith. I scarcely ever listened to such a simple sermon but surely the Holy Spirit was present that night with preacher—the impression made on the audience was so profound that a death-like stillness prevailed. Many a precious sermon I heard from his lips but never one in which simplicity and preciousness were so entwined. Another sermon that has its place on memory’s page was one preached by the Rev. John R. MacKay, at Lybster, on the text: “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old as a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner but my salvation shall be forever and my righteousness shall not be abolished” (Is. lvi. 6). It was a noble sermon. Gifted as he was to deal with the deep things of God’s truth there was something very impressive in his presentation of the transitoriness of the heavens and the earth and the lasting nature of God’s salvation and His righteousness which was not to be abolished.
It was as we have said a noble sermon and worthy of an honoured place on the page of memory. Another sermon that rises up before the mind was one preached by Mr. MacKay’s contemporary, Rev. Neil Cameron, Glasgow. It was preached at Wick on the Monday of a Communion from the text: “His name shall endure forever: His name shall be continued as long as the sun; and men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed” (Ps. lxxii. 17). It was a beautiful gospel sermon in which the Redeemer was exalted. The effect of the sermon was indicated by the sweet melody that often accompanies the singing of a people whose hearts have been touched under the preaching.
It was so on this occasion as the closing song of praise was sung:
“His name for ever shall endure;
Last like the sun, it shall
Men shall be bless’d in Him and bless’d all nations shall Him call
And blessed be His glorious name to all eternity.
The whole earth let His glory fill
Amen so let it be.”
These are a few of the sermons heard over 50 years ago that still linger on the memory and recall happy days in listening to the gospel.
D. B.