The Cause of Christ in South Harris has been weakened by the removal of Christy Ross, as she was familiarly called. We believe it is an addition to the Church of the First Born above. She was one who had entered on the Christian profession very early in life, and who adorned the Gospel by her meekness and charity, throughout a long life of usefulness. She often said she felt better when ministering to the needs of the Lord’s people, as she received additional strength. She had been a member in full communion in the Free Church before its constitution was changed by Dr. Rainy and his satellites. The Rev. Mr. Davidson was then settled at Manish, in the Church for which the Harris Blacksmith had been collecting throughout Scotland. The manse was near the shore, as in those days there was such opposition to the Free Church’s testimony by “the powers that be,” that suitable sites would not be granted.
She often told the writer about Rev. Mr. Davidson that he preached Christ by the humility of his life, as well as others could preach Christ in the pulpit. The only thing that ever estranged the minds of his flock from him was the fact that he gave his consent for a union between the Free Church and the United Presbyterians, who were tainted by Voluntaryism. For this his congregation showed their disapproval by absenting themselves from Church for a year. When the Separation came in defence of Reformation and Free Church principles, under the leadership of Rev. Donald Macfarlane, the Harris people were not cowards or traitors, but followed him manfully, although they had to abandon Churches and manses, and to worship God under the canopy of Heaven, in the midst of snow on the moor at Kintail. It is said that no one ever got a cold as a result of this exposure to the elements. The only thing they managed to claim was the box for the ministers at Communion times.
Even this was not obtained without a hard struggle, for the Rainyites were claiming it also, along with Churches and manses. Chirsty Ross was a young girl in her teens, when she first applied for admission to the Lord’s Table. Some of the elders demurred on account of her extreme youth, but the minister said he thought there was no sight so beautiful under the sun as that one like her should set her face on such a duty. She had the privilege of living at the manse at Manish, which was a Gospel privilege in those days, and said it was the happiest period of her life. If anyone was ever “given to hospitality,” she was. Many a time she washed the saints’ feet, and gave a cup of cold water, like Gaius mine host in the Pilgrim’s Progress. The law of kindness was in her lips, and malice was never seen in her, but true heavenly charity. She was most exemplary in attendance on the means of grace until blindness and infirmity prevented.
When young she often attended North Uist Communion, when many men and women used to come from Harris. Walking to Sollas was nothing thought of in those days, when there were no conveyances. The late Rev. A. Macrae of Portree had the service at Sollas, on one occasion, his text being, “Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon be darkened. The Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.” We believe this is true of Chirsty now. Although her eyesight failed, she had the same warm greeting for the Lord’s people. Her death was no death but the beginning of eternal life with Christ Whom she loved. As one of the oldest Christians in Harris, she was also one of the kindest. As Holy Writ enjoins, she spake evil of no man. In this she followed the example of Christ and Mr. Davidson, whom she revered. He used to teach that if you cannot say well of a man, say nothing about him. He also taught that we should be diligent for both worlds, for this life as if we were to live here always, and for eternity as if we had not a moment to live. Rev. D. M. Macdonald, Emeritus Minister from Edinburgh, was present at her funeral. We believe she was of the blessed dead, and that her body was laid in the earth, in sure and certain hope of a glorious resurrection. “The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness and do immediately pass into glory. Their bodies being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection.” “So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep” (Job xiv. 12). We would express our deepest sympathy with those she left behind to mourn her loss, her brother and his family. May they be enabled through grace to follow her example, that they also might get an inheritance among the saints in light.—D. J. Macaskill.