The Late Mr Alexander MacLeod, Elder, North Tolsta
Our lot is cast in an age in which faithful and forthright speaking has largely given place to words of flattering insincerity. Even the solemn and sobering stroke of death itself, which ought to expose the folly of empty or exaggerated praise serves, only too frequently, as an occasion for an outburst of insincere and unmerited adulation on behalf of the departed. For all that, there have been gracious and humble Christians among us to whose grace and piety, sincere tribute should be paid. Such a one was Alexander MacLeod, the subject of this short obituary.
Born at North Tolsta in the year 1897 he spent most of his life in his native village. At the call of King and country, he like many others of that generation served as a soldier in the 1914-18 war. In that fearful struggle against tyranny and oppression, he was badly wounded. In the good Providence of the Lord, however, he was spared to return to his native island where he in due course married and set up home.
We have failed in our efforts to ascertain the means used by the Holy Spirit to bring Alasdair out of the fearful pit and the miry clay and to set his feet upon the Rock. Our regret on that account is moderated, if not altogether removed, by the many evidences of a walk and conversation becoming the Gospel. Where these are lacking, no fine talk, no moving experience, is of any value whatsoever.
By the grace of God, Alexander MacLeod made a public profession of his faith in Christ in 1948. In 1955 he was admitted to the Deaconship, and in 1962 was ordained an elder of this congregation. His love to the Gospel and to the Cause of Christ was evident to all who knew him intimately. He was, above all, a HUMBLE believer, with a deep sense of his own sinful insufficiency and inability, while boasting and hoping in the fullness and freeness of the Gospel of Christ and the Christ of the Gospel. From his public exercises it was clear that our late friend was one of those who sighed and cried for the abominations done in the land. The sins of others, and the general degeneracy of the age were a source of grief to him, and while he prayed for the prosperity of Zion at large, he pleaded specially for the Church to which he belonged. The separate position of that Church Alasdair deeply appreciated.
On the 16th Day of February, 1965, after a short but trying illness, Alexander MacLeod passed away to be forever with the Lord. By the removal of this worthy man the North Tolsta congregation has sustained yet another great loss.
To his sorrowing likeminded widow, and to his family, we extend our sincere sympathy.
“And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts; if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever” (1st Chronicles xxviii: 9).—F. M.
The late Hugh Mackay, Elder, Vancouver, B.C.
Mr Hugh MacKay, the subject of this notice, was born in Swordly, Sutherlandshire, in the year 1886. His parents, John and Elizabeth MacKay, were pious and loyal members of the Free Church of Scotland, as it then was, and from his infancy he knew the loving care of those who took very seriously the duty of rearing their children in the “fear and admonition of the Lord.” One of his earliest recollections was his being taken aside by his father and hearing his father plead most earnestly for him, the little child, at a Throne of Grace.
In 1893 his parents cast in their lot with the Free Presbyterian Church which then separated from the Free Church. His father was ordained an Elder and later became a highly respected Missionary in the district. His father’s house was a resort for those who at that time felt in conscience bound to make that separation; he was thus in his formative years familiar with many godly men and women, and could himself observe what manner of persons they were. In time, he came to be a man like-minded with them and a faithful upholder of what they in their time had stood for.
In the winter of 1910 a tragic fatality occurred in the waters off his native place. The crew of a fishing boat were lost. All of the men were friends of Hugh’s, and one of them in particular was a young man to whom he was very attached. He felt this loss keenly, and it would appear that the incident was used by the Holy Spirit to awaken in his own conscience a sense of his own unpreparedness to meet death. Certainly an impression was then made upon his mind that was never wholly removed. We may suppose that for a time he “walked delicately” like many others in similar circumstances. But he had yet to learn much of the inherent depravity of the human heart, and it was permitted him yet some years to spend in the folly of a sinful life until God’s time and another harrowing experience. He had now to face the question without evasion: “What doest thou here?” What indeed! Henceforth he sought out the Lord’s people for his companions and the Lord’s service as his chiefest joy, while his consistent life justifies our believing that this was indeed a man saved by Grace.
Hugh’s boyhood years followed the general pattern of boys in the Highlands at that time, speaking Gaelic until he went to the local school, and receiving sound instruction in the Shorter Catechism. He learned the trade of stone masonry and stone cutting, and while still a young man worked at this trade in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh. In 1907 he emigrated to Canada where he worked for a short time in the Province of Manitoba, later coming west to settle in the Province of British Columbia. Here he had contracts for numerous projects, notably several buildings of the University of British Columbia, where his craftsmanship may be seen in the handsome Library building, etc. Apart from a six months’ return to his homeland following his marriage in 1912 in New York City, U.S.A., to the former Helen MacKay of Kirtomy, Sutherlandshire, he spent the remainder of his life in British Columbia and took up permanent residence in Vancouver, where a family of two sons and four daughters was born and raised.
For some years prior to World War I, people from the Highlands and Islands who had emigrated to Vancouver were wont to meet in rented halls for purposes of worship in the manner to which they were accustomed in the Old Land. The services were conducted in Gaelic and in English, and there were those who were well qualified to act as lay preachers. Old-timers still speak feelingly of those days as days of blessings.
The War depleted the number of young men attending the services, but it is from those gatherings that, after the War, the present Free Presbyterian Church and the Free Church (Highland) derive. Hugh MacKay held to the principles of the church of his youth, being fully persuaded that in doing so he was following the path of duty. With others like-minded, and to whom he was undoubtedly a leader, he began to think of obtaining recognition of this congregation by our Church in Scotland, of building a place of worship, and of obtaining the services of the Deputies who had, for a number of years been coming to Canada. All this came to pass. A congregation of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland was formed (Hugh MacKay himself being ordained to the Eldership), and the present church was built, and opened for worship on New Year’s Day, 1921. The late Donald Matheson was appointed Missionary to the new church and was with the congregation for seven years.
Although the men of the congregation built the foundation of the church, the building itself was erected by a contractor. As a sidelight on the manner of man Hugh was, a little anecdote is told. The contractor, working on another job, was erecting a chimney on the Lord’s Day. Hugh, passing that way, spoke to him, pointing out how wrong it was for him to be so occupied on the Sabbath, and stating that furthermore the brickwork was faulty and would have to come down or would fall down. The man conceded that he was indeed in the wrong, and when the chimney was later taken down Hugh helped him to rebuild it. A truly friendly rebuke.
Over the years a number of our Ministers have visited Vancouver as Deputies from the Church, giving their services for varying periods. Many of them made their home with Mr MacKay and his family. There were, however, long periods when the burden of the day fell upon Hugh. For many years he conducted services in both Gaelic and English on the Lord’s Day (three services), as well as the Sabbath School; and on Wednesdays he conducted the Prayer Meeting. This he did while carrying on his regular work throughout the week. His devoted and unselfish services to the Vancouver congregation are worthy of being put on record.
Hugh MacKay desired the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom in every land, and the Rhodesian Mission was very near to his heart, in his prayers, and the object of his liberal hand.
He also enjoyed extensive correspondence with those here and abroad who were of a kindred spirit.
About nine years ago his health began to fail. Three years ago he was critically ill but made a remarkable recovery. However, the general trend of his health was downwards and latterly he became an invalid and had great difficulty with his speech, conversing very little but always having a pleasant smile for those who visited him.
To the end he was attended with devoted care by Mrs MacKay and the family. On the 7th March, 1966, he passed to his rest.
“The memory of the just is blessed.”—R. Macdonald.