A WIDE circle of friends, including some overseas, heard of the death of Miss Charlotte Mackay, Thurso, with a feeling of loss to themselves and the cause of Christ. At the age of 84 years, she passed away on the 17th of August, 1946. She was a native of Strathy, Sutherlandshire, and the last surviving member of a family in which the Lord Jesus Christ was extolled. In this they had the example of their parents, and particularly enjoyed the instruction of a pious and wise mother.
Early in life, Miss Mackay (familiarly known as Charlotte) was led to seek the Lord. We heard her in her latter years say: “At the age of twenty-one I went to Halkirk Communion Services with full purpose and desire to find the Lord, and if I be not mistaken He took possession of my heart at that season. The chapter I read before going was Ruth i., especially verses 16 and 17: ‘Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go: and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God . . .’ were impressed upon my mind and this was the chapter read and the portion given out by the preacher. It was thenceforth evident that she had her feet upon the Rock as she grew in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
At this period of her life, the godly Rev. Christopher Munro, minister of Strathy, took a gracious and tender interest in her spiritual welfare, and she deemed it an honour to be present at the death-bed of this faithful servant of Christ. She was a person of simple faith and mountains that appeared in her path were often removed. Many instances of this might be given. On one occasion her little home and adjoining house in Thurso were sold and instructions to vacate were received. Her neighbour removed but she calmly carried on, preparing for the coming of friends to the approaching Communion season. Anxiety was felt by others and surprise at her attitude, but she was in communication with her Lord about it at the Throne of grace and confidently waited the result. Then word came that the sale was cancelled. She was not surprised and asked for the additional use of the vacated house next door to accommodate her brothers and sisters in Christ during the solemn assembly. This she got and had both places full to capacity. The house remained hers until she was removed to the house not made with hands, external in the heavens.
Her labours for the good of all with whom she came in contact were abundant, while she had a wide correspondence with kindred minds and distributed much evangelical literature calculated to prove very edifying to the recipients. In her younger days she was for a time on Island Roan and her interest in the young and their spiritual welfare continued to the end. Rev. D. Beaton, Oban writes: “When I was out in New South Wales, Australia, I met some of her old scholars from ‘Eilean Roan,’ and the keen interest they manifested by the questions they put concerning the teacher of their early days, after a lapse of about fifty years, showed how strong was the tie that bound them to Miss Mackay. Those who knew her would understand how this could be. The tractless ocean that separated teacher and taught did not sever the tie formed long ago in the North of Scotland.”
To temptations and tribulations she was not a stranger. The contentions of our Church in past years for truth were, owing to circumstances, peculiarly testing to her loyalty. In this she was sustained and often
gratefully acknowledged the Lord’s hand in preserving her. A few months after the separation of 1893 she attended a Communion gathering at Olrig, Caithness, and referred to it thus: “What I heard came so far short of what the times required that I became a Free Presbyterian by conviction that day.” Later she visited the late Rev. Mr. Munro, of Alness, whose ministry she had much appreciated. She discussed with him the “Declaratory Act” (then passed). As he failed to separate from it she told him she could not follow him any longer and did not attend his meeting that night. Mr. Munro no doubt felt the rebuke but continued to show her Christian kindness.
Her association with outstanding godly men and women in bygone years remained with her a sweetly fragrant memory and her conversation often recalled their experiences and doings. From letters received by her in the closing years of her life the following extracts show her exercise of mind:—”I feel I never had more need to be prayed for, I so lack wisdom.” “I come far short, but do I mourn for sin as I ought?” Mr. Popham said: “If you complain of threatened death and do not mourn for it, you bring death on the one you speak to.” “Tell enquiring friends that the Lord dealeth exceedingly gently and kindly with me.” “Pray that grace be given to enable me to say (Ps. xvi., verse 8):—
‘Before me still the Lord I set
Since it so that he
Doth ever stand at my right hand
I shall not moved be.’
Unable to be with us at a Thanksgiving Service, she wrote: “I would fain be with you but I got my day and should be far from murmuring. He is not a wilderness to me. His Word is becoming more and more precious to me. This morning I awoke early with the truth (Joshua v., verses 13-14): ‘Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?’ I wonder if it has to do with us as a Church.’ May He who is the Counsellor be with the members of Synod. I heard the late Rev. Neil Cameron speak from Psalm lxxx. He spoke chiefly of the vine. One remark he made was, ‘If you are this day in Scotland who are not grieved because of the devourer you are not worthy of the name of Christian.'” “I believe,” she added, “There are those in the F.P. Church of whom Zech. iii. verse 18, is true: ‘I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.'”
Although Thurso was her home for many years, she was deeply attached to Strathy, her native place, where her dust was laid, with that of saintly relatives, to await the morn of her resurrection. During her brief illness she was tenderly nursed by Mrs. M. Mackay, her sister-in-law, and others. To them, and all relatives, we extend sympathy in their loss, which was to her great gain.—W. G.