It would be difficult to make mention of this dear Christian in the pages of our Church Magazine without referring to her mother, who also was a daughter of Abraham. The mother, Mrs. Marion MacLennan, whose maiden name was MacVicar, was a native of North Uist, and as far as can be ascertained, the part of that Island where she was born was Claddach, Carinish. The means that the Lord took to awaken her, while in her teens, to a sense of her lost state by nature was like that of the Rev. R. M. MacCheyne—the loss of a brother by death. In her case, a younger brother. However long she was under law work, it was under the preaching of the Rev. Alexander MacColl, of Lochalsh, she got the liberty of the gospel. This blessed servant of Christ was in North Uist at a Communion season, and his text on this occasion was, Ezekiel ix, 1-4. The place where the preacher delivered his sermon was “Craig-Haustin,” under the canopy of heaven, where sun or rain could beat on the preacher’s brow. In this spot the Communions were wont to be held since the Disruption, and the gatherings in those days of gospel power used to be immense. It is said that the North Uist “men” used to conduct meetings in this spot previous to the Disruption, when the moderate teaching was rife, and the “living in Jerusalem” shunned it like a plague. To return to our subject, it seems that the same sermon that was as balm to her soul had arrows in it to convict another, for she used to relate, that when she was rejoicing in the effectual application of the efficacy of the blood of Jesus to her soul, that there was a man pacing on the beach near to the place of preaching in soul distress after hearing Mr. MacColl preach that day. Marion MacVicar, as she then was, came to Diabaig to visit a paternal aunt. It was on this occasion that she met her future husband and settled there for the rest of her life. She died in 1933, having attained her 100th birthday. By far the greater part of this long life was spent in the service of Christ. Needless to say she was among the goodly company who made the stand in 1893, on the side of truth and against error, among whom she had an honoured place.
Mrs. Christina Macdonald was the daughter of this worthy “mother in Israel,” and we may be sure she was reared in “the nurture and admonition” of the Lord, and was the child of many prayers. It is a great benefit to be the “children of the Covenant.” If the children take to their parents’ Covenant and fear and love God, the parents’ blessing is theirs also. But ungodly children of godly parents keep themselves out of the arms of mercy, and instead of getting the blessing they get the curse. They cast off their parents’ God. The families used to be nurseries of the church in this land. True godliness is often hatched there, so there the Devil seeks to crush it.
It is difficult to know now how Mrs. Macdonald came to know Jesus as her Saviour. She was naturally reserved in regard to her own religious experience. But “a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” Her godliness was not of a superficial sort, as she was an “epistle of Christ” that could be “known and read of all men.” She was advanced in years before she made a public profession. Then she made known to the Kirk Session, who admitted her, that it was in the strength of God’s word that she decided to go to the Lord’s table, and mentioned a special portion. The word was her warrant and she did not hesitate.
Mrs. Macdonald was of a kind disposition and gentle in her nature which made its appeal to her neighbours and strangers alike. In her attendance on the public ordinances she was most exemplary. In her declining years she made an effort to be in the courts of God’s house when very disabled. She was born in Diabaig and died there. Her end was sudden, but we believe she was ready: “Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching.” It was on the morning of Saturday, 12th June, 1948, that she got the call from her heavenly Bridegroom. She had just reached her 80th birthday. Her mortal remains were interred in Gairloch the following Monday beside that of her mother. She left behind her sorrowing husband, two sons and one daughter. May the blessing of her Covenant God be theirs also. “So he bringeth them unto their desired haven.”—A. B.