“Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth,” is solemnly proclaimed from heaven. It is for the comfort of the godly themselves, and for mourners, “that they sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” In the death of the godly there is a release and a reward. A release from all the troubles and trials of this world, and the reward of heaven which is all of grace.
The subject of this sketch is one of whom we cherish this hope—she lived by faith and also died by faith resigning her soul to God and her body to the grave in hope. She was born in Fasach, Glendale, Skye, and she was three years over the allotted span when her death took place in November, 1956. She was one of a numerous family of respectable parents, but her mother especially was considered a gracious person. It appears that she had her first impressions under the ministry of the late Rev. Neil MacIntyre, when he was minister of Glendale. She was then a young girl in her teens. These were impressions through the Truth of God, and to say the least they moulded her life so that she was never given to the vanities to which many are given in their youth. When she was about twenty years of age the family removed to the township of Borve, in the vicinity of Portree. After this the family was connected with the Portree congregation.
It may be noted here that Mrs. Nicolson had a sister called Mary (Macpherson) who was likeminded with herself, and who departed this life in the hope of eternal life some years before. This sister was a very beautiful character, one that abounded in love to God, to His ways, truth and His people. She was open-hearted and open-handed and, like Phoebe of old, a “succourer of many.” Poor Mary was subject to depressions so that she was not always mounting on “wings as eagles.” Her case is vividly described in Psalm 107, verses 26-28: “They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.” She had a prolonged and trying illness but through it all she was patient and contented, and willing to be at God’s disposal either for life or death.
But to return to the subject of this short sketch, we find that, like many others, she found her way to Glasgow where she worked for some years. Here she had the inestimable privilege of sitting under the preaching of the late Rev. Neil Cameron for whom she always had the greatest respect. In this city she married and reared her family, and spent the greater part of her earthly pilgrimage.
Although our subject had early impressions through the Truth, she was well on in years before she could cherish the hope that she had passed from death to life, and that was not without a long period of law work. What the means were that the Lord took to rouse her to be thus concerned about her soul’s salvation, we are not able to state, but we can be sure it was through the word of God. The time of deliverance came in the Lord’s good time, and she could say then, “Lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. . . .” One scripture which gave her great relief at this period is to be found in Isaiah: “For thy maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called,” and this is but one of many through which she heard the Lord, through the Holy Spirit, speak to her. There is another to which she referred, in which she was able to see much of Christ, when expounded in a sermon, that is Matt. ii. 2, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” This happened, however, sometime after she had professed publicly her faith in Christ and was but a renewed faith’s view of Christ her Redeemer.
In 1950, after her husband retired, they both came to reside in Gairloch in a cottage which they built. It was here her health broke down and she really never got better. Her trouble began with an operation in Inverness on one of her ears in 1955. From that time she spent long periods in hospital but she never benefited much in health. During this period of protracted illness she was often cast down and in “much heaviness through manifold temptations.” Satan took the advantage of the weak state of her body, and she would be saying with Job: “Oh, that I were as in months past,” referring to the time of her life “when his candle shined upon her head” and no dark cloud hid her Lord’s countenance from her. The complaint of holy Asaph in the 77th Psalm is also applicable in her case, and on which we often thought as she would unfold her experiences: “Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak, and I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart; and my spirit made diligent search. Will the Lord cast off for ever? And will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Does his promise fail for evermore? Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in his anger shut up his tender mercies? I said this is my infirmity.” Mrs. Nicolson was not, however, always cast down: “He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the things that are hid bringeth he forth to light.” She had the joy of her salvation restored to her as often as she was cast down. When she was on the eve of leaving for the hospital in which she died, she told her daughter not to weep for her, as she was assured of being with Christ should her illness prove fatal. She was a praying woman, and now her prayers are lost to the church on earth, and for this she is much missed from the church militant, as all the praying people should be. The change for her was a good one—it was to be for ever with the Lord. It was to take possession of the incorruptible kingdom that fadeth not away. Her husband, two daughters and one son, who is a student of the Church, are left to mourn.
Then are they glad, because at rest and quiet now they be;
So to the haven he them brings, which they desired to see.
—Metrical Ps. 107.—A. B.