The year 1957 has seen the removal by death of a number of outstanding men in our church. Among them was our beloved elder, Mr. John MacDonald. We deeply mourn his loss. As Dr. “Rabbi” Duncan says in one of his sermons, so we may say in this connection: “We mourn—and it is lawful, it is dutiful, it is fitting, it is human, it is godly.” We mourn for the dead that die in the Lord. “Devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.” We mourn not for them but for our own loss, which yet the Lord can compensate. We mourn, but when godly men are taken away Christ’s prayer is fulfilled—”Father, I will that they whom Thou hast given me be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory.”
John MacDonald was born at Portmore, in the Parish of Tobermory, Mull, August 16th, 1880. His father, Allan MacDonald, a seaman, afterwards set up home in Oban, where he was one of the first to leave the Free Church at the formation of the Free Presbyterian Congregation there, when the noble stand was made for God’s Word by the late Rev. Donald MacFarlane and others in 1893. Afterwards a deacon in the Free Presbyterian Congregation at Oban, Allan died when his son John was 21 years of age. John followed the grocery trade after leaving school till he joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, serving on Home Defence throughout the First World War.
He married in Inverness in 1915, and after demobilisation, set up home in Glasgow, having been previously in Edinburgh for a short time.
In 1920 he set up home in Oban, where he was foreman in the goods department at Oban Railway Station for many years.
From his early days he was, in the main, diligent in his attendance on the means of grace under the preaching of the Rev. D. MacFarlane, the Rev. Neil Cameron and other ministers; and lay-men, such as Messrs. Duncan Crawford and Andrew Cameron, Oban. We are unable, however, to say when the Lord revealed Himself savingly to him. The change was gradual, but at length quite evident. In his soul the Word of God by the blessing of the Holy Spirit was as the “leaven which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” The Lord gave him a deep sense of his sinnership and this was increasingly manifested the longer he lived. Christ and Him crucified was his only hope.
He was received as a member in full communion at Oban in November, 1929; ordained deacon in 1931; elder in 1935, and was appointed Clerk of Kirk Session in 1938. In 1943 he was appointed Representative Elder for Oban, and often acted in that capacity till his death.
For our Fort-William Congregation of which he was assessor elder for many years, he had a warm regard. He often supplied that congregation, sometimes under great difficulties, but he used to say that some of his happiest hours on earth were spent there.
As part-time missionary for Lochgilphead, he preached there often. It was there he attended his last church service three days before his departure.
We understand that he was called upon to lead the singing at Oban at least as early as 1912, and also to pray before he made a public profession. For about 36 years he acted as regular precentor in the Oban Church. Being possessed of a fine tenor voice he was most acceptable as a leader of public praise. His being bilingual also added greatly to his usefulness in our church, which he loved and faithfully served. The late Rev. D. MacFarlane’s ability to meet the backsliding professors of the Old Free Church was always a subject of great interest to him. He would say of that worthy man and of the late Rev. Neil Cameron: “They were far-seeing men, they were far-seeing men.” Events have proved how far-seeing they were. John MacDonald had great trials, losing his young son Allan in Crete during the Second World War, but his greatest trials were spiritual. He hid his trials from the world, taking them to the throne of grace to Him who hears the cry of the needy. He was an uncompromising witness for the Lord, who fearlessly rebuked evil. Yet he constantly lamented his own barrenness and insufficiency. His main labours were in Oban, where he was called upon to take the services on innumerable occasions and sometimes for long periods single-handed. Our Oban congregation owe a debt of gratitude to the Lord for such a servant in His vineyard, a servant who spared nothing to advance the Kingdom of Christ. His favourite portions were the 17th chapter of Jeremiah and the 14th chapter of the Gospel according to John. He could say with the Psalmist, “This Word of Thine my comfort is in my affliction; for in my straits I am revived by this Thy Word alone” (Psalm 119, v. 50).
Although his outward man was noticeably failing for some time latterly, yet he was active to the end.
He died very suddenly on Sabbath, 25th August, 1957, while on his way to the morning service. On August 28th his mortal remains were interred in Pennyfuir Cemetery, Oban, there to await a glorious resurrection. The day before he died he remarked to his wife, “It is a precious thing, Jessie, to have a good hope.” To his widow, and each member of his family we tender our heartfelt sympathy. May the Most High comfort them in their sorrow and great loss. May they be enabled to say with Job, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord” (Job 1, 21).—M. M. S.