A celebrated preacher of the past became greatly discouraged in his work and had serious thoughts of giving up preaching, at least in that part of the vineyard. A significant dream relieved him. He thought he was working with a pick-axe, on the top of a rock. His muscular arms brought down stroke after stroke for hours, but the rock was hardly indented. He said to himself at last, “It is useless; I will pick no more.” Suddenly a stranger of dignified mien stood by his side and said, “You will pick no more?” “No.” “Were you not set to do this task?” “Yes.” “Why then abandon it?” “My work is in vain; I make no impression.” Solemnly the stranger replied, “What is that to you? Your duty is to pick, whether the rock yields or not. Your work is in your hands; the result is not. Work on.” He resumed his task. The first blow was given with almost superhuman force, and the rock flew into a thousand pieces. He awoke and returned to his work and a great revival followed.—A. B.
The late Mrs. Morison, Kintulavig, Harris.
THE above was the oldest of our members in S. Harris. Her exact age was uncertain, but she was believed to be near the century. She was a remarkable woman in more ways than one, being of a strong personality. She was not of those who, through lack of discernment, see no reason for maintaining a separate position in order to preserve purity of doctrine, worship and practice. Her memory for Scripture and spiritual poems, such as those of the Harris blacksmith, John Morison, was most astonishing.
Even in extreme old age she could repeat long passages from the Psalms. She warmly welcomed the Lord’s people to her house, and her only complaint was that they did not come more often. Two of us passed her door one day, and she shouted after us that it was a bad sign on them that we were passing without making a call. The Lord’s people have their idiosyncracies as well as the unregenerate. Being of an independent spirit she gave clear expression to her views whether she would offend people or not, as her trust was in God and not in man.
She often complained about the place of worship being so inconveniently situated, and now at length there is a move to have her ambition realised. As to her spiritual experience, the verse of truth that was used by God the Holy Ghost to awaken her, was, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him.” Her memories of Donald Stewart, the Evangelist, were sweet and pleasant. He often addressed a large concourse of people at Stockinish on the sea shore.
Like his Divine Master, the rocky shore was his cathedral on many an occasion, and his organ the music of the ocean. There seems to have been a great revival of religion under Donald Stewart’s preaching. The Word of God was blessed to many immortal souls. He is said to have had a powerful voice. I happened to see his photo in the family mansion at Ense. He was handsome and was of a heavy build. So it was likely his voice would carry far. The fruits of his labours were many in Harris. We hope Mrs. Morison’s counsels to her sons will be blessed to them.
—D. J. Macaskill.
The late Mrs. Margaret Macleod, Leverburgh, Harris.
THE subject of this obituary notice belonged to Leacklee. She was like other sinners of Adam’s lost race until she lost her eldest son. It was at that time that a change was observed in her life. She became very concerned about her soul in view of death, judgment and eternity, and came to see the vanity of the creature, and of the creation “which is made subject to vanity.” The death of a son or daughter was blessed to many a parent, who buried hopes of worldly felicity in the grave of a beloved child, and began to seek the Friend that would never die, as Rev. R. M. MacCheyne said in reference to his brother’s death.
After a considerable time of anxiety and fear as to her state before God, she at length received the glorious liberty of the children of God. The occasion was when she was returning from Tarbert Communion. She went on her knees beside the road and was there, as she said herself, “like a weaned child,” Ps. 131. She thought nothing of walking regularly to Tarbert, a distance of about nine miles. Her companions were the late Mrs. Macuish, Leacklee, and Mrs. MacLennan, Geocrab. In this she left an example for her children and others to follow. Her life was upright and unspotted from the world. The writer used to visit her when she was at Lickisto, and she always welcomed us heartily, complaining how she missed the public means of grace, from which she was debarred by the infirmities of old age. Latterly, her memory got so weak that she didn’t recognise her friends, but she did not lose her grasp of the Scripture, and constantly repeated passages of the Psalms during the night watches. She did not wish to hear anything about the present evil world. A favourite passage of hers was, “Hold up my goings, Lord.” Having reached the advanced age of 84, she fell asleep. May the Lord raise up others!—D. J. Macaskill.