This worthy woman, who departed this life to be with Christ on Sabbath morning, 13th February, 1955, was born at Sand, Aultbea, Gairloch, in the year 1880, the eldest daughter of John and Mary MacAulay. When she was grown to womanhood, she was united in marriage to Murdo MacKenzie of the same village, and they went to live at Dalmally, Argyll. Later, they removed to Perthshire, where her husband was employed as gamekeeper on Lord Breadalbane’s estates. While here, far from any place of worship, she came under soul concern. She missed greatly the House of God, and as Oban was the nearest place where she could attend the services of our church, she went up as often as family circumstances would allow at communion seasons to Oban. On one of these occasions as the communion was drawing to a close, she dreaded parting with the Lord’s people and returning to the isolation of her home as there was no place of worship where she could obtain food for her soul. Rev. Neil Cameron, who was assisting at the communion, consoled her with the remark: “You have your Bible.”
Mrs. MacKenzie had to rely for the most part during this period of life almost entirely upon her Bible. The nature of her husband’s work made it necessary for them to live in lonely parts of the country where she could meet few to whom she could unburden herself. She learned to go to the Throne of Grace with her troubles. Besides her Bible, among religious works the Memoir of the Rev. Robt. M. McCheyne was especially helpful to her. How many poor sinners have received a helping hand in their struggles to reach the heavenly country from the biography of this saintly minister, prepared by his bosom companion and true yoke-fellow, Rev. Andrew A. Bonar, the great day alone will disclose!
Her religious impressions were further strengthened by family bereavement. She lost her younger sister, Margaret, in 1918. This God-fearing young woman was a teacher in Edinburgh at the time of her death, and her removal was the more keenly felt by Mrs. MacKenzie as this was the first break in her father’s large family. Although persuaded that she was at her eternal rest, her sorrow notwithstanding was great and lasting, and when a year later her child was taken from her at the early age of 16 months, she felt that the Lord was speaking to her and was laying his hand upon her in chastisement for her excessive sorrow for her sister; she submitted to this rebuke, became much more reconciled, and bowed her head to the Lord’s will, laying to heart the words “Be still and know that I am God.”
The family came north, first to Carrbridge for two years, and then to Inverness where in 1927 she was deprived of her husband. She suffered greatly in health at this time while still distressed under religious convictions; they were not, however, entirely unrelieved by hope, nor was she left without any encouragement from the Word of God. On one occasion the words helped her as they were being sung at family worship: “Delight thyself in God, He’ll give thine heart’s desire to thee” (Psalm xxxvii. 4). At public worship the singing of some verses of a psalm by the congregation often brought some measure of relief. The path she had to tread was long, but deliverance finally came, the words which brought relief being: “Unto you, therefore, which believe, He is precious” (I Peter ii. 17). In these words she obtained a believing apprehension of the great Sin-bearer who made reconciliation for the sins of His people and was enabled to cast her burden upon Him and her soul was put at ease. In after-life she gave clear evidence that Christ had been made precious to her by the inward work of the Spirit. She became a member in full communion with the Inverness congregation.
Her health which had been precarious for years began to cause concern and in December, 1953, she underwent a serious operation. For a woman of her frail constitution and somewhat timid nature, it was feared that she could not face the heavy operation that had now become necessary, but the Lord strengthened her with the assurance that her life would be spared for a little time longer. The operation was at first quite successful, but early in the following year complications set in, and finally on Sabbath morning of 13th February, 1955, she entered into her reward.
She bore her last illness with Christian patience and meekness and on a bed of sickness she found the Word of God both meat and strength to her soul. When one of the elders called to see her and asked what particular Psalm she wished him to take at worship, she said, “God is our refuge.” One morning, being asked how she felt she said, “‘He will sustain thee’ are the words before my mind.” On another occasion she repeated the words: “He filleth the hungry soul with good things” (Psalm cvii. 9). A few days before the end, she was heard repeating the words: “Who is this that cometh from Edom?” At family worship she often asked that Psalm lxxxiv. and xlvi. be read as evidently giving her the greatest help. She was being gently prepared for her end. She appeared withdrawn from the world, and was supported by the promises of the gospel. She expressed gratitude to any friends for calling to see her and was especially glad to see the Lord’s people. For a good part of her life, she found the world to be a place of suffering, but her afflictions were sanctified to her. She is now, we believe, among the inhabitants of that land where there is no sickness and where all iniquity is left behind. To her brother and sisters still surviving, to her son in this country and her married daughter abroad, we tender our heartfelt sympathy.—A. F. M.