The Late John Gillies, Elder, Raasay
The removal of this worthy man from the troubles and trials of this world to the glory of eternity, was a great loss to the congregation of Raasay in particular, and the Cause of Christ in the Free Presbyterian Church in general.
He was born in North Raasay in 1892, and as a youth left home to work in Invermoriston. When he was about twenty years of age he came south, first to Alexandria where an elder brother was living, and afterwards to Glasgow where he set up home and married. He was employed by the Clyde Navigation Trust until 1947 when he became full-time Church officer in St. Jude’s congregation. He remained in Glasgow until 1957, in which year he retired to live in his native island.
John was very reticent about his spiritual experiences, but it appears that he was awakened to a sense of his lost condition before God while engaged at family worship in his father’s house. How often family worship has been blessed by God to the bringing in of souls from the darkness of a lost estate into the marvellous light of the gospel! How sad, therefore, that it should be so widely neglected at the present time! A home without family worship is manifestly under the curse of God, and if there are any parents reading these lines guilty in this respect, let them now begin to repent and begin to worship God in their families forthwith.
We have been unable to discover how John was granted the liberty of the Gospel, but all who knew him could testify to the fact that Christ had been made precious to him as the only name given under heaven among men whereby sinners such as he had discovered himself to be could be saved. His exercises in public and private showed very clearly his deep need of the blood of Christ to cleanse him from the sins which he so willingly confessed, his deep sense of the need of the quickening and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and his sweet relish of the Word of God as that which feeds the hungry soul. “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word which proceedeth from the mouth of God.”
In 1930 he became a member in full communion in St. Jude’s congregation, and the following year was elected a deacon. This early election was a testimony to the regard the Lord’s people in Glasgow had for our friend, but to him it was made a real temptation, and the question of accepting office presented a severe trial to his mind. There is only one place to take temptations and trials and that is to the throne of grace. It was there that John received encouragement which proved a staff and a stay to him then and for many a day afterwards in the words of Psalm 48: 12, 13:—
“Walk about Sion and go round;
the high towers thereof tell:
Consider ye her palaces,
and mark her bulwarks well.”
Walking about Sion was his constant delight from that day until he reached his journey’s end in this world, and perhaps there is no text of Scripture which more accurately describes his Christian character than the words made so precious to him then.
In 1946 he was made an elder in St. Jude’s, after the congregation had passed through a fiery trial which was a source of grief to the people of God and a painful experience to one who loved Sion as John did. He remained true and loyal to the Church and did all in his power to further its interests. As already indicated he became full-time Church Officer in 1947 and a better servant in this respect could not be found anywhere. He loved the place where God’s honour dwelt, and his sincere and prayerful desire was not only that he would be spiritually benefited himself, but that sinners would be born again in Sion and raised up as living witnesses on the side of the Saviour. On leaving Glasgow he was elected an elder in the Raasay congregation where he displayed the same interest and zeal in the Cause of Christ as he had done in that city.
Throughout his active life he showed himself to be a very healthy man, but in 1963 he began to fail. In September of that year he had an operation in Broadford and thereafter never really recovered his full vigour. He was able to attend the Raasay and Staffin communions that November. After the latter communion, he confided to a friend that he was very much impressed by the address at one of the Tables from the words “And he said unto them, With desire have I desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.” (Luke 22: 15). It was the last time he was to sit and serve at the Lord’s Table to commemorate the death of Christ. However sweet the communion of Christ with His people in this world may be, it is only a foretaste of what they are to enjoy above where Christ’s desire expressed in His intercessory prayer will be fulfilled, “Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am: that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17: 24).
He came to Glasgow after this and was again operated on but his condition was pronounced incurable. He was taken to the home of his son, Kenneth, whose wife attended to his needs with loving devotion which John greatly appreciated. He passed away on 20th March, 1964, being then 72 years of age, and was interred at Craigton Cemetery where an infant son had been buried 40 years before.
So came to an end the journey of one of God’s people who adorned his profession in this world. We believe he is at his eternal rest where sorrow and sighing have both fled away and where the redeemed have entered into the joy of their Lord. He was kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation until he entered the inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled and which shall never flee away.
To his widow, his son Kenneth, and the other relatives we extend our sincere sympathy. “Mark the perfect man and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.” (Ps. 37: 37).
—D. MACLEAN.