Some of the Lord’s people, by reason of their public position and opportunities of attending Communion seasons, are better known to our people than others. When such are removed from the tribulations of Time to the haven of eternal rest, a blank is felt in the hearts of many at the realisation that the familiar figure shall be seen no more in this world. Such an one is the subject of this sketch, whose death in April of last year makes sad the hearts of those who wish well to Sion, and sensibly weakens the hands of those who love her prosperity and peace.
Donald Matheson was born at Borreraig, in the parish of Duirinish on 15th July, 1881. He was thus in his 75th year when he was taken away. When a young man he went south to Renfrew where he was employed in the firm of Babcock and Wilcox. While living in Renfrew, he attended St. Jude’s, Glasgow, regularly walking in on the Sabbath. He was of a reserved and friendly disposition and circumspect in his conduct, but at the time of his going south he was still dead in trespasses and sins without any living desire after salvation. Some time after coming to Renfrew, a friend who was lodging with him noticed that he had come under concern of soul, but Donald did not open his mind as to how this took place. The Word of God now became a living reality in his experience and the services of God’s House lost their formality and became precious to him, although their present effect was to deepen the sense he had of his own sin, condemnation and helplessness. The occasion of his deliverance out of bondage into the glorious liberty of the gospel was a sermon preached by the late Rev. J. R. MacKay at St. Jude’s communion in November, 1907. Mr. MacKay’s text for the action sermon was “Awake, O sword against My Shepherd, etc.” (Zech. xiii. 7). Many of the Lord’s people felt that Mr. MacKay was greatly helped by the power and unction of the Holy Spirit to set forth the Person and sufferings of Christ as the great Shepherd and surety-substitute of His sheep; the Father’s command to the sword to smite this Shepherd; and the fulness of the salvation procured by the death of Christ with its many blessings applied to His people. Among those who experienced the heavenly dew that day was Donald Matheson, for the sermon had not long proceeded when he was melted down and sat the rest of the sermon in tears as, through the mouth of a God-given faith, he drank water with joy from the wells of salvation. He confided to a friend afterwards that his heart was so full of the love of Christ and love to the brethren that, as he saw the communicants going forward to the Table, he felt that he could embrace every one of them.
To Donald all things had become new for “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II. Cor. v. 17). The Word of God, secret prayer and the public means of grace were now a delight to his soul. He became strongly attached to the late Rev. N. Cameron both personally and for the sake of his ministry through which his soul was being fed. He knew the meaning of spiritual fellowship between the pulpit and the pew as, under the over-shadowing of the Holy Ghost, seed is given to the sower and bread to the eater. After some time, the warm feelings Donald had found so pleasant and encouraging began to decline and the dark fountain of sin and deceit in his heart was more fully opened up to his soul. He mourned over this sad condition. Tried and tossed, he looked back to the time of joy and peace he had formerly experienced and could only contrast it with his present darkness and misery. When at work one day these words were given him, “Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this” (Ecc. vii. 10). The goodness and the condescension of the Lord in thus speaking to him by His Word and the light which the passage shed on his case greatly encouraged him. He got a new view of the power of indwelling sin and the believer’s daily need of watching unto prayer and coming to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness.
In a small diary which he kept for his private use and which was found among his papers we have abundant proof that the hidden life which was implanted in his soul in the day of regeneration continued to grow. One or two extracts will be sufficient to show this:—
“In the morning felt my mind wandering away to unprofitable things, but after rising got a measure of freedom on my knees and a pleading spirit to plead for my near and dear ones and all the Lord’s people. Did not feel so much freedom at family worship but, about noon, after reading several chapters of the Bible felt a great desire to sing part of the 27th Psalm. It is always when I have a measure of freedom that I desire to sing. If we do not sing in the spirit and with the understanding, it will only be an empty sound.
“In the afternoon again in secret, the Lord has given me sweet nearness to Himself. Oh! what a blessing to have a good hope through grace! In my confession to Him I felt my barrenness and unfruitfulness in the past and pled with Him that He would make me somewhat fruitful to Himself in the future.
“Got a letter from one of the Lord’s people who is enjoying much of His blessed presence. A most edifying and encouraging letter. It is from the Lord as well as from my friend. Sometimes I think that my dear friend may not be left long in the world but the Lord’s will be done. To depart and to be with Christ is far better.
“Felt somewhat confused in my mind last night. It is not profitable to be with the world where the conversation is only about worldly matters and where there is no spiritual life. Got no sleep until 3 a.m. and before getting up felt very dead in soul. Could not get much freedom at the Throne of Grace, either last night or this morning. May the Lord give me grace to wait upon Himself ‘more than they that do watch the morning light to see.’ I feel the world and worldly things very empty to me. Oh! let my soul seek after God, the living God, and let Him ‘send out His Light and His Truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to His holy hill and to His tabernacles.’ Being alone in my lodgings, endeavoured to pour out my soul before God. Got sweet nearness and the spirit of prayer not only to plead for my poor self but for the Lords’ dear people. Felt a great desire to plead for the young. Oh! May the Lord revive His work and quicken the young and raise them up to be living witnesses.
“Last night felt my inability to pray or plead with the Lord knowing and feeling that there is no profit in the means themselves nor in empty forms. Trying to seek my Beloved but not finding Him. I think I do know Him when He is pleased to come. He reveals Himself to His people. ‘Never man spake like this man.’
“This morning got a drop of God’s love and a measure of the spirit of adoption—that pleading spirit that cleaves to God and encourages the soul to cleave to Him more and more. How thankful I should be for the least of His mercies to an unworthy, loathsome creature. In the afternoon, in secret again, felt freedom and nearness to the Throne of Grace. Afterwards went for a long walk and to a secret place where I hope the Lord gave me a pleading spirit and a token for good.”
Some time after tasting that the Lord was gracious, Donald Matheson went home to Glendale. What he had experienced in the privacy of his own soul gave him the desire, in obedience to Christ’s command, to witness publicly for Him. This he did by becoming a communicant in this congregation and in the estimation of all who knew him, he was enabled by Divine grace to adorn his profession to the end. His love to Christ gave him an heart-attachment to His Cause and it was not difficult for one who, like him, had passed from death to life and whose mind was well-informed by the study both of the theology of the old Divines and the history of the Church to be satisfied that that Cause was to be found in the testimony raised in 1893 and maintained in the Free Presbyterian Church. To this Church he felt bound with cords which went above those of flesh and blood so that he was a man in whose loyalty and faithfulness one could have confidence and not be disappointed. He valued the pure doctrine of God’s Word which, by the unction of the Holy Ghost, was the food of his soul. He highly prized an unequivocal testimony against backsliding and error and deplored the graceless piety which knows nothing of self-denial and refuses to bear the reproach of Christ in those days of sad adversity. His love to the Cause he showed not only by word of mouth but also by deed, and for 40 years served the Church as a lay-missionary both at home and in Canada. Among the places in which he was stationed at home were Breaselete, Flashadder, Plockton, Braes, Staffin and Raasay. In his public exercises, he was grave and solemn and sought to commend the Truth to the consciences of his hearers. Possessed of a good voice and pleasant appearance, his addresses were marked by a logical order and Scriptural fulness. His prayers in public, particularly near the end of his days, were often accompanied by a melting which caused him to break down. He was also a sweet leader of the praise of the sanctuary and on many a communion Sabbath throughout the years he was so helped in precenting that the Lord’s people felt much liberty and warmth in singing the praises of Jehovah. That voice is silent on earth now but we have every reason to believe that such occasions were but a foretaste of what he enjoys on Mount Sion above.
In private, Donald Matheson was a lively and pleasant companion when speaking of the spiritual realities which lay nearest his heart. As we can see from the extract from his diary, he knew the difference between the conversation of the world and that of the people of God. In the company of the former, he felt the coldness and bondage of spiritual death, while among the latter, he would open his mind and speak in a most edifying way on doctrine or experience or tell some anecdotes of the worthies of the past. To those whom he numbered among his friends he was most loyal and faithful. His friendship was not based on the flesh but on spiritual union and, in that union, he loved the brethren and was a strength to any who desired to behold the good of Jerusalem. He, like the rest of the Lord’s people, knew the danger of those whose friendship appears religious but has in reality nothing in view but worldly and fleshly ends. When the Lord, in His own time, exposes such, they are found to be vipers filled with a most deadly venom.
He was twice married. His second marriage to Miss Margaret Tallach, Schoolhouse, Raasay, in June, 1951, proved a crowning blessing in the closing years of his life. They took up residence in Portree and the comfort and peace he enjoyed in this harmonious union was very evident. He was elected an elder in this congregation and attended to his duties in his usual careful and circumspect way but it could be seen that his health was beginning to fail. When the writer bade him farewell before leaving for Rhodesia in January last year, he expressed the hope that he would get strength for every duty laid upon him during the writer’s absence. He replied that if the Lord would help all would be well. When the writer arrived back in London in April word was waiting that indeed “all was well” and well for evermore as far as Donald Matheson was concerned.
He took ill on Saturday, April 7, 1956, at 7 a.m. Previous to that time, he was in his usual health although the week before he had felt slight attacks of pain arising from his heart condition. On this occasion the pain was severe and the doctor was called. To her, he said, “I am going home.” About 10 a.m. he was able to speak of how he felt very much the spirit of adoption so that he could say, “Abba, Father.” He also mentioned the verse from which he had recently been speaking in Psalm 23—”And my cup overflows”—how in the highest sense, Christ is the portion of His people’s cup. He spoke of other things to his wife, saying, “He has made with me an everlasting covenant—a covenant which shall not be broken.” About 5 p.m. his illness took a more alarming turn and he became very weak but he recovered somewhat and was able to speak to the doctor again when she came in the evening. To her he said, “They are a blessed people who have a good hope through grace—it is all of grace.” He reassured his wife when he saw her upset by the turns he was taking, saying “It is the holy will of God,” and telling her not to be too anxious. He was very weak on the following day which was the Sabbath. He was able to ask a blessing and conclude briefly at the worship, however. One of his remarks was, “There remaineth a rest for the people of God,” that is—the enjoyment of an eternal Sabbath. He seemed to have enjoyed the psalm and portion of Truth read—part of Psalm 34—”O taste and see that God is good,” mentioning it in his prayer. His last words spoken very shortly before he died were to express how thankful he felt he should be to the Lord for all His goodness to him and how it was his desire to be so. He then lapsed into unconsciousness and passed away in a few moments. During his short illness, he appeared to have been favoured with a sense of the Lord’s presence and to have enjoyed great peace of soul. Thus concluded the earthly pilgrimage of one in whom the words were strikingly exemplified, “For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city” (Heb. ii. 14-16).
To his widow and relatives we extend our heartfelt sympathy.
—D. MACLEAN.