This worthy man was born in the Island of Fladda, at the north end of the Island of Raasay, a small island between Skye and the mainland opposite Applecross. His date of birth was June, 1883; so that when he passed away on the 28th day of June, 1969, he had attained the age of 86 years.
He left his native isle and came to Glasgow in May, 1901, where he was employed by The Clyde Navigation Trust to whom he gave faithful service for 36 years until his retirial due to ill health. During the period of his retirement, he enjoyed a good measure of health and loved to travel to various parts of the Church attending Communion seasons, at which be became a well known figure.
In 1909 he married Miss Catherine Clark, a native of Lochinver, to whom he was joined in happy union until her death forty seven years later. Mrs Nicolson was a true helpmeet to her husband and, especially in her latter years, gave clear evidences that the grace of God had taken possession of her heart. She was most kind and hospitable as many still alive can testify. On one occasion, when she was seriously ill in hospital, and not expected to recover, a friend who had been a frequent recipient of her kindness was pleading her case at a Throne of Grace when that portion of Truth came powerfully to his mind concerning her: “for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have shown toward his name in that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister” (Heb. 6 v. 10). From this he concluded that Mrs Nicolson was to be raised up, which indeed took place; and she was spared for many years after the incident. It was evident also that her hospitality arose not only from natural kindness, which she possessed in abundance, but that it was one of the “things which accompany salvation.”
Of the family of eight granted to Mr and Mrs Nicolson, six are spared. The first born died at the age of two, and another daughter suddenly at the age of 6. Both of these were sad blows to our friend, but were as nothing compared to the death of his wife. Although given a wonderful measure of grace to be reconciled to the Lord’s will about the loss of his life’s partner, he confided on one occasion to the writer: “I never thought I would feel it so deeply.”
Up to the death of his second child, Alexander Nicolson had no true realisation of the solemnity of a soul journeying to an endless Eternity. For twenty years he had been under the ministry of the Rev. Neil Cameron, attending church regularly, holding family worship, observing the Sabbath, and bringing his family to the means of grace as they grew up. On occasions, he had severe twinges of conscience while in church but when he came out all this passed away as the morning cloud and the early dew. In November 1922, however, Rev. D. N. MacLeod, when minister in Tarbert, Harris, and later in Ullapool, was assisting at the Communion in Glasgow and preached in the Hall there from the words:
“And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. Ch. 6 v. 11).
It was a powerful sermon and Alick was greatly impressed under it and wept most of the time that Rev. D. N. MacLeod was preaching. The following year at the November Communion, Mr MacLeod, who was again assisting, preached on Sabbath morning. He enjoyed a large measure of liberty, but it was when he was fencing the Table that the arrow of conviction so powerfully entered the heart of Alick Nicolson that he could not move but had to be carried from the church. He often mentioned, when speaking to the Question, and in conversation with intimate friends that, although the arrow of conviction went so deep convincing him of his sin and misery, yet he was also supremely conscious of such a holy desire entering his soul after the God against whom he had sinned that he thought he would go through fire and water to have this desire satisfied. His sins he felt to be so great that he could not believe from any human being that the Lord would have mercy on such a great sinner as he felt himself to be.
The following Summer he went to the Communion in Raasay. He felt very cast down, empty and sad, and yet kept crying to the Lord for mercy. On Monday the Rev. Neil Cameron preached from Psalm 78, v. 5: “For he established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children.” The time of Alick’s spiritual deliverance had come. Speaking of his experience under this sermon he said, “Mr Cameron was not long preaching when I felt the sweetness of the power of the Word going through me, and realising the love of Christ filling my soul, I could truly say that the desire and thirst in my soul was fully satisfied. I could not restrain myself; I had to cry out with such joy in my soul. I could say at that time ‘It is enough, I cannot stand any more.’ It did not last very long and there is none to blame but myself — my folly made it so.” On other occasions he was granted a similar nearness to the Lord, and these occasions lay behind the petition so often in his public prayers: “That I Thy power may behold and brightness of thy face, as I have seen Thee heretofore within thy Holy Place.” (Ps. 62 v. 2).
He became a communicant in November, 1925, and was elected, ordained, and inducted to the Deaconship in April, 1931. He was thus among the last of the office-bearers in the days of Mr Cameron and, while there are one or two others in other parts of the church, he was the last one resident in St. Jude’s. He dearly loved the congregation and was greatly interested in all its activities and, even as he entered the valley of the shadow of death, spoke to those around him of the congregation and of those in it whom he had known for such a long time.
He was deeply grieved by the trouble through which a section of the congregation left and went elsewhere, but he felt the hand of the Lord could be clearly seen in supporting the faithful section of the congregation and enabling them to continue the testimony for truth in the City of Glasgow.
He was elected an elder in March, 1946, and took a great interest in the Courts and Committees of the Church upon which he served. He possessed a goodly measure of common sense, and once he saw a point to be correct would hold on to it tenaciously. He earnestly sought the good of Zion among us and many were his cries to Heaven that the Lord would pour forth His Spirit.
He was very evidently a man of prayer. His public exercises were characterised by freshness, directness of petition and unction which gave the Lord’s people to feel that their needs were indeed being made known to the Hearer of prayer. The reality of Eternity, the value of the soul, the preciousness of the blood of the Lamb to cleanse from all sin, and the interests of Christ’s Cause were all gathered together in his earnest prayers for mercy and grace to help in time of need. He was one of the best of the Men in speaking to the Question — an exercise which he greatly appreciated both as speaker and hearer. Having a clear experience of effectual calling and favoured with many other experiences he was well equipped to give marks of grace. Although of an intelligent turn of mind, he was not widely read, so he spoke from what he had directly passed through in his own soul, and this proved very helpful in this type of meeting. Our friend was not without his faults. On occasions, he would take too long on the Question or be guilty of some hasty statement which tended to mar the value of what he had to say. These and other faults, however, serve to remind us that there is no perfection here, and did not detract from the all-round impression that he was a true man of God.
He mellowed considerably in his latter years. In no case was this seen so clearly as in his attitude to the young. In his death they lost a real friend who prayed for them and sought their good. He rejoiced in the increased interest evidenced by young people in the Gospel of Christ and hoped and prayed that they would be kept faithful to the end.
The year before he died he mentioned to the writer that he did not expect to be long in the world. He had just been to a Communion and, when he came back he said, “I got what I have been looking for for some time at the Communion, and I do not expect to be here much longer.” In June of last year he was at the Glendale Communion where he enjoyed his usual health. The following Sabbath he attended the services at Vatten and remarked to his daughter with whom he was staying, how much he enjoyed the liberty with which the Rev. John Colquhoun had been favoured on that day. Later in the week he took a bad turn which gave every indication that his end had come. He enjoyed great peace of mind, spoke of his congregation, the old and the young among them, and passed away to be, we believe, forever with the Lord, on 28th June, 1969. His regular petition during this time was — “Deonuich do m’anam bochd bhi beo, is dhuitse bheir e gloir.” (“O let my soul live, and it shall give praises unto thee”).
Ps. 119 v. 175.
There can be no doubt but that this last prayer was answered and that his redeemed soul is now singing the praises of the Lamb who, having loved his own, loved them to the end.
To his family we extend our sincere sympathy. His empty place is felt in the congregation and in the Courts of the Church and will also be felt in the home. May their father’s God be their portion for time and for eternity.
D.M.