The memorial of the righteous is everlasting. When death removes the righteous the community sustains a loss which will be fully known only at the great day of account. It means that the voice of a pleader at a throne of grace is for ever stilled from praying for the community’s good—and such pleaders are comparatively few in our day. Of their number was John Fraser, Migovie, Stratherrick. He was signally favoured in his parents Ewen Fraser and Johanna MacKenzie, West Lyne, both of whom exercised in regard to the faith delivered to the saints, by their walk and conversation, proved that they were of the number of those who are “the salt of the earth;” and his grandmother, Mrs. MacKenzie, Carnoch—where he was born in 1882—was an eminent Christian.
Brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, his early training made an impression upon his mind which continued with him through his life. In his unconverted days when his neighbours sought to draw him aside to desecrate the Sabbath, it prompted him to hide himself from them to escape their snares. When working on the farm of Achnabat, in 1908, he lived with a much older man Sandy MacPhail whose habit of prayer deeply impressed him. Sandy rose regularly about midnight and continued one to two hours in prayer. Salvation, however, does not consist of mere impressions, nor is it of the works of man, but wholly of the free, sovereign grace of God. It was about eight years later and under the preaching of Rev. James MacLeod, then a student, that he was awakened to a sense of his sinful nature and lost state as a sinner against a holy God. He continued under conviction of sin for a few years. At length he obtained the liberty wherewith the Son of God as Saviour makes free, when He, by the Holy Spirit, spoke with power into his heart the last verse of Psalm ex., changing his bondage into joy unspeakable and full of glory. With him now old things had passed away, all things had become new.
How was this sudden and glorious change effected? The Holy Spirit took of Christ’s fulness and, by the word spoken into his heart, planted therein faith and other graces, enlightening his understanding in the knowledge of Christ’s Person as the Son of God in His office of Mediator and as the Surety Substitute of His people bearing their sins on the Cross—in His atoning obedience and death, showing him the loveliness of Christ, which consists in His all-sufficiency and his all-suitableness to his case as a sinner thereby captivating his affections. He renewed his will, and persuaded and enabled him to receive by faith Christ in His finished work as exhibited and freely offered to him in that very scripture spoken into his heart, and to rest upon Christ alone for salvation. Thus united to Christ, God who was angry with him became reconciled, and he found favour and acceptance with God who imputed to him the merits of Christ’s death and righteousness on the ground of which he pardoned his sins and justified him, putting him in possession of everlasting life and giving him a title to heaven, adopted him into his family—making him an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ, and giving him a right to all the privileges of the children of God.
This God did regarding the whole elect in fulfilment of His eternal purpose in the everlasting covenant “wherein He predestined them unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His Will” (Eph. i. v. 5). Christ, as High Priest with kingly power, and by the Holy Spirit through the scripture spoken into the heart now purged his conscience with His blood from guilt and condemnation; at the same time, as Prophet, by the Holy Spirit through the same scripture, announced in the soul the new relation to God in which he now stood, thus bringing “the peace of God which passeth all understanding.” The Holy Spirit who hitherto wrought upon the heart was now sent by God into the heart to shed abroad the love of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; as the Spirit of Christ to take possession of him as Christ’s blood-bought property, to abide there evermore sealing him against the day of final redemption; as the Spirit of adoption to enable him—hitherto passive and receptive of the divine benefits, now made active—to cry, Abba, Father, while the Holy Spirit put the new song in his mouth, “even praise to our God.” How marvellous and glorious is the display of the Divine energy and grace in the application, as well as in the working out of redemption! How many and amazing are the benefits bestowed upon the sinner who, by faith, receives Christ, the Divine-human Redeemer and Saviour! However long or short the work of conviction of sin may last, what is here stated of the work whereby the soul is made to pass from death to life, is effected by God in Christ in a moment. “Happy art thou, O Israel: Who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord.”
For about twenty years John Fraser farmed Oldtown. Thereafter he removed to Migovic. In the Spring of 1943, he suffered a severe illness from an abscess on the lung. When thus laid aside, he wrote the Army Authorities to grant his son William leave to come home to do the spring work on the farm. His request was refused. This was to him a great disappointment. His thoughts at that time were much on his son William and he humbly betook himself to prayer on his behalf. When thus engaged the Lord condescendingly gave him a scripture promise which brought great comfort to himself and encouraged him to believe that the Lord would graciously visit William with salvation. As soon as he was able he wrote William requesting him to pray and read the Bible, and to retain in his heart what he read despite his difficult circumstances and the abounding iniquity around him. “Be trying to pray yourself,” he wrote, “and the Lord will not despise you. He is ready to hear those that trust in Him.” A few years later he had the great joy of seeing the promise given him fulfilled in the conversion of his son William, thus proving that at least in some measure he had the secret of the Lord.
He became a member in full communion in July, 1941, and was elected to the office of elder in 1945. Bowed down under a sense of his unfitness for the office he did not attend at the hour appointed for the ordination service. Later that same day he was delivered from the temptation by which he was ensnared and regretted having yielded to it. His ordination as elder took place in July, 1950, and he worthily performed the duties pertaining to that office.
Of a cheerful disposition and given to hospitality, he and his like-minded wife were never happier than when, during communion seasons, their home was full of visitors who came up to the Mount of Ordinances to hear the joyful sound of the gospel of salvation. During the last few years of his life he had recurring attacks of heart trouble but was wonderfully restored and able not only to attend church but also on several occasions to conduct the services in the absence of the usual supply. He greatly enjoyed what proved to be his last communion season on earth, in August, 1956. It seemed to be with him the beginning of “the time of the latter rain” for soon he had another heart attack and passed away peacefully on September 1, 1956. His funeral to Boleskine burying-ground was very largely attended. The congregation and the writer greatly miss his presence and prayers. Their sympathy goes out to the widow and family. “Mark the perfect man and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace.” (Ps. xxxvii. 37).—F. B.