By the late REV. JOHN WILLISON, Dundee.
Christian Directory, Direction 27.—Sojourn in this world as travellers, keeping so loose from the world as to be able to pack up and be gone from it upon short warning, (I Peter, i, 17; I Cor. vii, 29-31). We have no continuing city or certain abode here; therefore, let us always be ready to rise and depart. And if we would be right travellers towards Zion above, we must have Christ in our hearts, heaven in our eye, and the world under our feet. We must take God’s Spirit for our guide, God’s Word for our rule, God’s glory for our end, God’s fear for our guard, God’s people for our companions, God’s praise for our recreation, and God’s promises for our cordials. We must make religion our business, prayer our delight, holiness our way, and heaven our home. O Zion’s travellers, distinguish yourselves from the men that dwell upon the earth. Let Christ always be precious to you, the Word sweet, sin bitter, the world a wilderness, and death welcome. Let Christ’s will be your will, Christ’s dishonour your affliction, Christ’s Cause your concern, Christ’s success your joy, Christ’s Day your delight, Christ’s cross your glory, Christ’s sufferings your meditation, Christ’s wounds your refuge, Christ’s blood your balm, Christ’s righteousness your clothing, Christ’s presence your heaven. While travelling here, let your hearts burn with love to Christ, love to think of Christ, love to hear of Christ, love to read of Christ, love to speak of Christ, love to speak for Christ, love to speak to Christ.
The late Mrs. Hector Campbell, Scorraig.
MRS. CAMPBELL was born in 1894 at Badenscallie, in the parish of Cogagh. She was the school teacher in the neighbouring village of Achduart till her marriage. For some years of her married life she was teacher at Scorraig School, but had to retire on account of her health. Mrs. Campbell had a warm place in the hearts of the Lord’s people, and even the outside world gave her a place as a Christian which they gave to few.
“Woe is me,” complains the Prophet of old, “for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape-gleaning of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat; my soul desired the first ripe fruit.” Well may we have the same complaint. The Most High is taking away from our midst His own dear people one by one. The remnant of this people are like sparrows on the house-top. They feel the removal of those taken away, and mourn after them.
May God in His infinite mercy build up the breaches made on the walls of Zion.
The object of this short and imperfect sketch is to place on record a little about this worthy woman, who departed this life on 29th February, 1948. Mrs. Campbell was privileged to be brought up in a home where God was known and worshipped. She was wonderfully exemplary and moral in her daily life. The Spirit was striving with her in early life. The writer is not able to say when the Spirit dealt effectually unto
salvation with her soul, but that He did so was very evident. Anyone with the smallest measure of spiritual discernment would not be long in her company when they could testify that she was taught by Christ and enabled to follow Him. She was able to make a public profession of her faith in Christ after hearing a sermon preached on the words, “Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.” She was very attached to that godly preacher all her life.
Mrs. Campbell was a real mother in Israel. Like Lydia of old, her heart and home were always open to Christ and His people. Although true humility, real feminine modesty and sobriety were characteristics of her character, she would boldly stand up for Christ, His cause and people, whenever occasion arose. She always kept a cheerful countenance to the world, but those who knew her intimately knew that she had trials and temptations which grace alone enabled her to bear.
After the death of her parents and before her marriage, she being the only one of the family was very lonely, but in that affliction she was wonderfully sustained by a portion of God’s Word, Isaiah liv, 14: “In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror: for it shall not come near thee.” As regards the affairs of her family, she was diligent like the virtuous woman, but spiritual matters were given the chief peace. It could be said of her, that she walked in the commandments of God.
In her removal, the church in the world has lost a true wrestler at a Throne of Grace. We have much reason to mourn her death, but we believe our loss is her gain.
“Then are they glad, because at rest,
And quiet now they be,
So to the haven He them brings,
Which they desired to see.” (Ps. xvii, 30.)
Her mortal remains repose in Dundonnel Cemetery. She is survived by her husband, one son and two daughters, to whom much sympathy is extended.—From A Friend.
Searmon.
Leis an Urr. R. SIBBES, D.D.
“Mu fhleantachd do bhrigh gu bheil mi ‘dol a dh’ionnsuidh m’Athar, agus nach faic sibh ni’s mo mi,” (Eoin xvi, 10).
(Air a leantainn bho’n t.d. 220).
Tha’n Spiorad Naomh a toiseachadh le dearbh-shoilleireachd mu pheacadh. Ciod e’n dearbh-shoilleireachd so? Is e foillseachadh soilleir agus neo-thuiteamach air ar suidheachadh. Tha e toirt solus nach gabh muichadh a stigh do’n anam, agus a toirt air falbh bho’n anam gach teagamh, gach car agus gach lùbaireachd. ‘S e th’ann a bhi toirt dearbh-shoilleireachd ach a bhi toirt air duine a bhi, mar a tha e sgrìobht’, a cur a lamh air a bheul. ‘S e th’ann an solus ach ni bheir dearbh-shoilleireachd. ‘N uair a chì sinn a ghrian chi sinn gu bheil an latha ann,
agus ged a theireadh deich mile duine nach eil an lâtha ann cha chreideadh-mid iad, do bhrigh gu bheil an dearbh-shoilleireachd so na ni nach gabh àicheadh, air chor agus gu’r e duine mi-reusanta a dh’àicheadh e. Mar sin tha Spiorad Dhè a toirt solus, nach gabh àicheadh, a stigh do’n anam. Tha thu mar so agus mar so; ann an so cha’n eil carachadh, lubadh na tionndadh ‘n uair a thig an Spiorad Naomh leis an t-solus so.
Cha’n eil an dearbh-shoilleireachd so bho’n Spiorad Naomh, ann an coitcheannas a mhain, ach air mhodh sònraicht’ agus làidir. “Is tusa am peacach, agus tha thu ann an cunnart damanaidh.” Agus tha e deanamh gnothuich ris gach ni, a gabhail a stigh peacaidhean nàdur, peacaidhean beatha, peacaidhean na tuigse, na toil, agus nan aignuidhean; agus cha’n e dearbh-shoilleireachd air peacadh a mhain, ach air truaigh a pheacaidh, cunnart, aimideas agus cuthach a pheacaidh, agus na h-an-tromaichidhean a tha meudachadh a pheacaidh, mar a tha bli mèchadh a liuthad de ghluasadan maith, a seasamh an aghaidh a liuthad de mheadhonan, agus a mì-bhuileachadh a liuthad de thròcairean. Tha’n Spiorad Naomh a toirt a leithid de dhearbh-shoilleireachd agus nach eil comas freagairt ann, ach do bhrigh gu’n do labhair mi air so a cheanna bithidh mi aithghear. A luchd mo ghràidh, mar a toir an Spiorad Naomh dearbh-shoilleireachd cha bhi dearbh-shoilleireachd ann. Tha leithid de lùban agus de thionndaidhean anns na eridheachan cealagach againn; armaichidh ar nàdur uaibhreach e fein mar a shuaimeas a chrainneag i fein, agus a dhionas si i fein le a stoban, agus, mar sin, chomhdaich moran iad fein le briathraibh làidir, a cur na coire air feadhan eile, agus a gabhail an leithsgeul fein le nithean faoin. ‘S e so slighe an t-sluigh, ag oidhirpeachadh, mar le lùirich mhàillich, an dearbh-shoilleireachd so a chumail a mach, agus mar a bitheadh gu’n do bhuaile an Spiorad Naomh cho cruaidh air na coguisean aca, ag radh, “Is tusa an duine,” cha bhitheadh an obair so deanta.
Ceist. Ach feorachidh sibh a cheist so dhìom, Cia mar a dh-aithnicheas sinn strithean coitcheann seach obair an Spioraid? Oir tha dàoine feolmhor a tha dol a dh’ifirinn aig am bheil strithean coitcheann.
Freagairt. Eadar-dhealachadh. 1. Tha mi freagairt, ‘S e strithean laga a th’ann an strithean coitcheann a tha le solus nàduir. Ni sràdag bheag beagan soluis ach cha soillsich i seomar. Cha dean so ach solus mòr mar tha solus na greine. ‘S e solus làidir a th’anns an Spiorad, ni’s treise na choguis nàdurra. Tha choguis nàdurra agus solus coitcheann a nochdadh cuid de bhrisidhean air an dara clàr, ach cha toir iad dearbh-shoilleireachd air nàdur truaillidh, ach ni an Spiorad so mar a chi sibh aig Daibhidh, Salm li, 5. Tha e ga chur uile sios aig a so, mar gu’n abradh e, Ciod a dh’innseas mi dhuibh mu mhort agus adhaltranas, “Ann am peacadh ghabh mo mhàthair mi’n a broinn,” mar sin cha’n amhaire fior Chriosduidh cho mòr air na meanglain ach air an ffreumh.
Eadar-dhealaachadh 2. A ris, ‘n uair a bheir a choguis nàdurra dearbh-shoilleireachd do dhuine ni e sin an aghaidh a thoil. Cha dean e duine ni’s fearr dheth, cha slànuich se e, ach tha e air a chràdh-phianadh leis. Ach an duine a fhuair dearbh-shoilleireachd tre’n Spiorad Naomh, gabhaidh e taobh Dhè na aghaidh fein; tha e toileach a bhi air fhosgladh suas a chum gu’m faigh e’n tròcair is moth. Mar sin tha eadar-dhealachadh mor eadar strithean coitcheann nàduir agus dearbh-shoilleireachd an Spioraid.
‘S e dearbh-shoilleireachd an Spioraid solus an Spioraid, ni a tha de nàdur is airde na solus na coguis nàdurrà: “Cuiridh mise an Comhfhurtair,” agus ‘n uair a thig e, soillsichidh e gu mòr agus bheir e buaidh air an anam.
Eadar-dhealaichadh 3. A ris leanaidh dearbh-shoilleireachd an Spioraid ri duine, cha’n fhàg e’n t-anam gu bràth, ach an ni a ni a choguis nàdurrà tha e mar phlathadh, agus an sin tha iad ni’s miosa na bha iad roimhe.
Ach feumaidh mi na nithean so fhagail.
(Ri leantainn.)