“YE are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you,” said the blessed Redeemer on one occasion in addressing His disciples. In what way shall the friends of Christ be distinguished from His enemies if it be not in this, that they keep His commandments? We are convinced that the subject of this short sketch had this distinguishing mark in the estimation of discerning people. He was known in his own congregation, and outside of it, as one who held his Saviour’s laws in high estimation in his heart and in his conduct in the world, “and was very fearful to offend Him.”
This worthy man was born at Lonmore, in the very house where he departed this life on 11th December, 1949. His parents are said to have been orderly in their walk and conduct according to the gospel. The natural conclusion is that John was brought up in the fear and admonition
of the Lord. We must bear in mind, however, that parental instruction of itself will not change man’s ruined nature. Man must be taught of the Holy Spirit. Paul knew what it was to be slain by the law, and to live by the gospel; under the teaching of the Holy Spirit. John MacLean knew this too. The beautiful gospel spirit displayed in his exercises in the prayer meetings disclosed that he was a man who was taught of the Holy Spirit. We are not in a position to state what means the Lord used to bring him to have a concern for his soul’s salvation. It was, however, in Dingwall Church, where he had attended the Communion services in quest of the Lord, that his hands were loosed by the words of a Psalm from the lips of the Precentor in leading the praise. This was the means used to enlighten his mind, to quicken his will, and to move his affections to embrace Christ as He is offered in the gospel. He was a man of great modesty and real humility and spoke little about the things that concerned himself. But he could not conceal his love for the Word of God, and the delight he had in the way of salvation, set forth therein, through the atonement made by the Son of God on Calvary.
Sometime after the aforesaid blessed experience he got strength to come forward to the Lord’s Table. He was elected a Deacon in the year 1934, and an Elder in 1946. As an office-bearer he diligently attended to all the duties connected with his office in the Church.
The trouble which worked to bring down the “earthly house” was a form of paralysis which took a number of years to complete its work. At times he had delirious turns caused by his trouble, but they soon wore off and he was back to normal. During these turns he would tell his recollection of sermons which he heard long ago, and speak of Scriptures which were made precious to him, and experiences which he would not relate when he was normal. But prayer was his element. He would pour out his heart to his God, lying on his back in bed, not being able to move, not conscious of the presence of any who might be in the room.
His wife predeceased him by many years. His only daughter, who always lived with him, was dying of a serious heart condition at the same time as himself and only survived him by a few weeks. But his blessed Lord ordered all things, we believe, to work for his good, according to His promise, and afterwards received him to glory. He had entered upon his 78th year at the time of his death. His removal is a blank in the Gairloch congregation. May the Lord raise others to fill the breaches in the walls of Zion.—A. B.
Searmon.
Leis an Urr. IAIN LOVE, D.D.
Is ròs o Shàron mise, lili nan gleann.—Dàm. ii, 1.
Is iongatach obair Spiorad an Tighearn ann an tâladh anamaibh dhaoine dh’ionnsuidh ceumaiabh a ghliocais, agus ga’n tarruig a dh’ionnsuidh an t-Slanuighear ghloirmhor. Tha òirdheirceas Chriosd spioradail, do-labhairt maiseach, agus diomhair: tha anamaibh dhaoine feolmhor, duichnidh, agus làn ceannaire an aghaidh ùghdaras agus cumhachd fior dhiadhachd. Uime sin, ‘s e th’ann am peacach a tha gabhail tlaichd ann an glòir an Fhir-shaoraidh agus a tha gabhail fois ann leis a mhuinghinn is àirde,
ach cuspair a tha nochdadh obair Cumhachd neo-chriochnach; ach tha’n cumhachd sin ga fholach fein agus a gluasad le diomhaireachd doransaicht’ air aghaidh an dorchadais, ga fholach fein fodh iomadh meadhon, samhladh agus dealbh, ann an gliocas air an deanamh freagarach do shuidheachadh iosal intinnean na muinntir a tha nan cuspairean gràis, eadhon soithichibh neo-airidh tròcair.
Fada ma’s d’thainig am Mesiah gu h-achdadh, labhair Dia uime “gu minic, agus air iomadh dòigh,” agus maille ri iomadh taisbeanadh agus focal, dh’fhoillsich se e do ehlann nan daoine le nithibh sòlumaid, le dreuchdan samhlachail, pearsachan agus deanadasan. A chùm na crìche so, gu bhi cumail a mach cliu agus glòir an Fhir-shaoiraidh a bh’air a ghealltuinn bu toil le Dia righ-chathair agus tigh Dhaibhidh a thogail; agus ann an Solamh, gu neo-theagnhach, am fear-riaghlaidh a bu ghlice, a bu shìtheil, agus a bu shaoibhir am meag righrean Israël, bha àmhghairean, buaidhean agus ùrnuighean mhic Iese air an toirt a chum an lanaichd, agus maise Prionnsa na Beatha air a chumail a mach gu samhlachail.
Tha eachdraidh Sholamh air a toirt seachad anns na Sgriobturaibh naomha, ri beachdachadh oirre fodh’n t-sealladh so; agus mar sin tha i’g eirigh gu mòrachd agus cudthrom a tha airidh air leabhar a tha air a dheachdadh. Ach anns an Dàin, bho bheil an ceann-teagaig air a thoirt, tha iteal ni’s airde air a ghabhail, agus le gliocas, freagarachd, fiorghloine, agus gràs neo-chriochnach, tha’n Spiorad Naomh, ann a bhi deachdadh, a ceangal na dealbhan air gràdh-pòsaidh, air cùram buachaillle, air iomlanachd agus mòralachd rioghail, nithean a tha air am meas mar na nithean is freagarachde gus a dhòl a stigh do na h-aigndhean is doimhne ann an anamaibh dhaoine. ‘S e so cuid de’n bheart iongantach—inleachd gliocais neo-chriochnach—a tha Spiorad beannaicht’ Iebhobhah a eur an cleachdadh, gu bhi tarruig a chridhe gu Iosa, am Mesiah, agus gu bhi naomhachadh, agus a lasadh nan aignidhean is mìlse, gu bhi air an dòrtadh a mach air a chuspair do-labhairt maiseach so, mar a bha’n oladh chùbhraidh roimh air a dòrtadh air a chorpa naomh. Tha diteadh na muinntir a tha aineolach, fanoid luchd na seasaireachd, agus toibheum luchd an uile, air eur nan aghaidh le faireachadh anamaibh iorasal a tha air an glanadh, agus aig am bheil mothachadh air cùmhachd nan dealbhan naomhaicht’ so. Bithidh fireanachadh ni’s sòlumaid fathasd air a chuis ‘n uair a thig an Tighearn le mhlìbhe de naoimh, “a dheanamh breitheanais air na h-uile, agus a chùm iadsan uile a tha mi-dhiadhaidh ‘n am meag fhàgail ris, a thaobh an uile ghniomharan mi-dhiadhaidh, agus a thaobh an uile bhrìathran cruaidh a labhair peacaich mi-dhiadhaidh ‘n a aghaidh.”
Gidheadh, feumaidh e bhi air aideachadh, gu’n robh mòran de na bha air a ràdh an aghaidh a chuid so de’n Sgriobtur air aobhrachadh leis na mineachaidhean neo-ghrinn, neo-ealanta, neo-dhireach, agus gun seadh a bha air a thoirt dhith gu minic le daoine a bha ciallachadh gu maith. Uime sin, mo bhraithean, thigeadh-mid dlùth do’n chuspair naomh a tha fa’r comhair leis an ioraslaichd is doimhne, le mothachadh air aineolas, eagal, agus a taiceachadh air teagasg agus treorachadh an Tì a dheachd sgriobhadair an leabhair so; mar sin theid sinn as bho mhearaichdan agus gheibh sinn ionaltradh Diadhaidh agus tlaichd, a dh’aindheoin Shàtain agus uile sheirbhisich agus innleachdan.
Do Chriosduidh a tha air a dhùsgadh agus fodh fliamh le seallaidhean air mòrachd ghìormhor Mac Dhe, mar a bha iad sin a thug air Isaiah glaothaich a mach, “Chaidh as domh,” Isa. vi; agus a thug air an abstol Eoin tuiteam “alg a chosaibh an riochd mairbh,” Tais i; bithidh am foillseachadh a th’againn air Criosd ‘s a cheann-theagaing “mar uisgeachan fuar do’n anam thartmhor,” na gu bhi cleachdadh cainnnt an leabhair so, mar ùbhlabh agus còrnabh do neach a tha fannachadh le tineas gràidh. Ann an so tha uamhas Mòrachd Neo-chriochnaich air a thaiseachadh, agus gach ni maiseach, agus a cuireadh a chreutair ‘n uair a tha’n Slànuighear a labhairt mar so, “Is ròs o Shàron mise, lili nan gleann.”
Oidhirpichidh sinn: I. A bhi rannsachadh, ni’s mionaidich, eall an t-samladh mhaoth agus mhaiseach so. II. Beachdaichidh sinn air maise shònraich’, agus bharraichte, Iosa Criosd, a tha mar so air a chur an ceill. III. Ni sinn co-chur.
(R’a leantuin.)