Obituary

Rev. William Grant, Halkirk

William Grant was born at Dornoch, Sutherland, in May 1886. He was sixth in a family of eight. He was to be spared in this world to his ninetieth year, nearly forty of these years being spent in the active ministry of the Gospel.

Like many others called to the office of the ministry, William Grant was nurtured in the Gospel. Brought up in a home where he saw vital godliness, he received early impressions of the reality of true religion. The obituary of his mother, who like her son was early called by grace, is given in the F.P. Magazine Vol. 33, page 429. His father did not make a public profession. His mother said that she saw a difference in William’s life before the age of eight years. In childhood he had several escapes from death which may have helped to wean him from the things of this world and present to him his danger in view of eternity.

He recalled one incident which made a lasting impression on him. In his young days the services in Birichen School were conducted by men like David Ross, Angus Murray and Andrew Tallach. One day Angus Murray said to David Ross, who always conducted the service in Gaelic, “Have you not a word for the boys?” David Ross, unwilling to venture to speak in English himself, asked Angus Murray to pray. In the prayer he said, ‘Bonny boys, would you like a new suit? — Yes, a new suit of gold! What is that? Yes, the righteousness of Christ.’ These simple words were not forgotten by at least one young hearer that day. William Grant could recall, too, going as a young boy with his sister, Elsie, to the riverside to pray for mercy. At Communion seasons their home would be full of people. On one occasion the room where they were sitting was so full that it was suggested that the children be put out. His mother answered, “Oh no, let them go under the table. They may hear something for the benefit of their souls.” William said about this event that though he loved his mother before, this incident made him love her more than ever. This suggests that his heart was already knit in his young days to the people of God. As well as having the benefit of Communion seasons at Dornoch his mother would take him with her to other places, such as Wick and Lairg. At Lairg Sandy Gray took a great interest in him and told his mother to keep him at school because he would one day be a minister of the Church.

He obtained his schooling at Dornoch Academy and then joined a branch of the Caledonian Bank in Dornoch. After his training he served in other places before moving to London in 1907. A new era of his life opened with his transfer to London. There he met for the first time Donald Sutherland, who had shortly before been brought from darkness to light. (Donald Sutherland’s obituary appeared in the F.P. Magazine Vol. 22, page 181). It was William Grant, along with Donald Sutherland, who were instrumental in starting the London Mission of our Church. The Mission was formed on 29th March 1908. The first Communion was held on 26th December 1909 and at that Communion William Grant made a public profession of his interest in the Lord Jesus Christ. The following year both he and Donald Sutherland were ordained to the office of the deaconship. This was the beginning of a work in London which was to prove of great benefit to exiled Scots in London and to others, and is still in existence seventy years later. The establishment of the Mission was largely due to William Grant’s zeal and enthusiasm for the Cause of Christ. He ever after took the closest interest in its welfare.

The first World War called him from his desk. In 1915 he joined the 2nd Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders. After his training in the North of Scotland he was sent to Aldershot and from there to France. There he remained until ill-health removed him back to England. While in France he corresponded with Rev. Neil Cameron, Glasgow, to whom he was greatly attached. On his discharge from the Army he returned to London until he could no longer resist the call he felt to go and preach the gospel. He was received as a student in Glasgow and followed the prescribed Arts Course in Glasgow University. Afterwards he attended divinity classes with Rev. Donald Beaton in Wick. During those student days and afterwards he was closely associated with the band of young men received for the ministry after the first World War. They were James and John Tallach, D. J. Matheson, Finlay Macleod, John Murray, Donald Urquhart and Robert R. Sinclair, the last named being the only surviving member of this group. Most of these were destined to be of service to the Cause of Christ during a particularly trying period of our Church’s history. On completion of his course William Grant continued for a time assisting Mr Cameron in Glasgow, engaging in preaching duties and pastoral visitation in that large congregation. That his work was appreciated was evidenced by the gift given to him by the congregation when eventually in 1926 he left Glasgow to settle in the pastoral charge of Halkirk and Helmsdale in the far north of Scotland.

His labours in the North of Scotland were to extend over the long period of 38 years. Though he received calls during that time from congregations at home and abroad yet he deemed it his duty to remain in that part of the Lord’s vineyard to which he was first directed. His labours, however, were not confined to that area. At Communion seasons he would be assisting at different places throughout the Church. At different times the burden of interim-moderaterships over other congregations fell on his shoulders. Immediately the concerns of these congregations became his concerns. Early in his ministry he was asked to visit the congregations in Canada. From that time Canada had a place in his heart and prayers. He travelled as far as Vancouver and conducted the first Communion season in connection with our Church in that city. His work on the committees of the Church cannot be overlooked. He served on a number of them and as Convener of some of them. His interest in the establishment of a Church Home of Rest is well known. While it took several years for his desires in this respect to materialise, eventually his endeavours were rewarded. The Home remains as a monument to his interest in the needs of the elderly, especially of his interest in those who were the Lord’s true people. Besides these Church interests, he gave his whole-hearted support to the Trinitarian Bible Society from the time that the National Bible Society of Scotland altered its constitution to allow the printing of unsatisfactory versions. He did all in his power to further the interests of the Trinitarian Bible Society and was appointed a Vice-President of the Society.

With regard to his preaching and pastoral work — his preaching was plain and direct and interspersed with suitable anecdotes and illustrations. He went out of his way to gain the ear of the young, both in the pulpit and in private. He would tell a pointed story or leave a portion of the truth with them. He loved the young and yearned and prayed for their early conversion. He would urge them to seek the Saviour but not to rest in seeking. He would say, seeking is not finding but the promise is that those that seek shall find. In his preaching, whatever else he brought before his hearers, he endeavoured to leave the text firmly imprinted on their mind. A text such as, ‘Buy the truth and sell it not,’ would be constantly reiterated throughout the sermon, and it would be a very deaf hearer who would not carry it away.

Of his pastoral work we cannot speak too highly. He assiduously engaged in these duties. Homes and hospitals he regarded as a field for his ministerial endeavours, visiting not only his own congregation in times of health as well as sickness, but also the homes of many of the Church people in the north. His visits, though brief, were appreciated by many. These calls were also extended to many outside the Church, wherever sickness or death or other circumstances opened a door of opportunity for him. There he entered on his Master’s business to commend them to Christ and to commend Christ to them. In public, in private and in secret he was much given to prayer, laying before the Lord, not only his own needs but those also of his congregation and the Church at large. He often pleaded for the glorious days promised in God’s Word, for the ingathering of the Jews into Messiah’s kingdom, as well as for daily grace to live to God’s glory. He remembered the young, the old, the middle-aged, the sick, the dying. He ever sought the prosperity of Christ’s kingdom and the sending forth of labourers into the harvest. These things seemed to be constantly before his mind.

What was said of the centurion — “he loveth our nation; and he hath built us a synagogue” — was true of him too. He was a true patriot, loving our nation, not only as the land of his birth, but as the land whose soil was watered with the blood of the martyrs and covenanter, and as the land where the Reformation Church had reached its meridian glory. He prayed for Scotland, for Scotland of the Covenants, believing that these would yet be her reviving. In the Second World War, conscious himself from his experiences in the First World War of the dangers to which the young men, the flower of the nation, were exposed, he was deeply affected by their plight and ceased not to remember them at a Throne of Grace. At Helmsdale, the story is told of him taking aside for prayer a group of young soldiers from that village at the railway station as they prepared to return to the dangers which at that time confronted them. That these young men were preserved to come home again was attributed by some in the village to the efficacy of the prayer offered on that occasion for their preservation and safe return. With regard to his ‘building a synagogue’, the Church in Thurso is one instance of his desire to extend the Cause of Christ in this way.

In 1964 the time came when through increasing age and infirmity he had to relinquish his charge. He removed to Dingwall to spend his last days there in retirement, though he continued for a period to give help from time to time with services. Latterly he was confined to his home but he continued to labour in prayers for the good of the Church of God throughout the whole world. Many friends visited him during his closing days and found him with his mind stayed upon his God. On the 26th of January 1976 the end came when he was called away from this life to enter, we believe, the house of many mansions to be forever with the Lord whom he had served here below. Of him it was fulfilled:

“Then are they glad because at rest,
and quiet now they be
So to the haven He them brings
which they desired to see.

During his long life, he remained loyally attached to the Church in which he had been brought up. Its witness on the side of truth he prized and he endeavoured to uphold it with all his might. He longed to see its witness extended at home and abroad.

He now rests from his labours. His remains were interred at Kiltearn Churchyard where the remains of the godly Thos. Hogg were laid more than 300 years before.

In concluding this obituary we would express our prayerful desire that his widow, Mrs Grant, would be daily upheld by the God of all grace. We acknowledge our indebtedness to her for information given about her late husband. For the large circle of relatives we desire that they be followers of those who are now inheriting the promises.

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” (Rev. 14:13). D. B. M.

Eadar-Mhineachadh Air Salm CXXX

Cionnus a tha e gu feud creidich tuiteam ann an doimhneachdaibh do bhrigh peacaidh — Nàdur a’ chomhpairteachaidh a tha Dia a’ deanamh air gràs a’ choimhcheangail.

Nàdur a’ choimhcheangail

Anns a’ cheud àit, Tha nàdur a’ choimhcheangail anns am bheil na creidich uile a nis a’ glùasad maille ri Dia, agus anns am bheil an t-iomlan de’n ulluchadh a rinneadh air an son chum ùmhlachd fillte suas, ‘ga fhàgail comasach dhoibh tuiteam anns na doimhneachdaibh sin a dh’ainmicheachadh roimhe. Fo’n cheud choimhcheangal chad’ ulluicheadh tròcair no maithneas air son peacaidh sam bith. B’ éigin uime sin gu’m bitheadh na’s leòir de ghràs air a thaisbeanadh ann as a dheanadh an gleidheadh o gach úile pheacadh, air neo cha b’ urrainn e ‘bhi chum feum sam bith. Be’s so a bha fireantachd nàduir Dhé ag iarraidh, agus b’ ann mar so a bha. Nam bitheadh coimhcheangal air a dheanamh anns nach d’ ulluicheadh maithneas idir, agus anns nach do thaisbeanadh na’s leòir de ghràs na dheanadh an dream a bh’ anns a’ choimhcheangal a ghleidheadh o fheum a bhi aca dha, cha bhitheadh e coimh-fhreagarrach ri maithneas agus ri fireantachd nàduir Dhé. Ach rinn e an duine treibhdhireach, ged a dh’ iarr e d’ a shaor thoil féin, iomadh innleachd a mach.

Cha-n ann mar so a tha ‘chùis ann an coimhcheangal nan gràs; tha maithneas air ulluchadh ann tre fhuil Chriosd; cha-n’eil e uime sin gu h-iomlan neo-sheachanta gu fritheileadh Dia a’ shamhuil sin de thomhas gràis as a dheanadh daoine a ghleidheadh gu h-éifeachdach o gach uile pheacadh. Gidheadh tha e air na h-uile cor r’a ròghnachadh air thoiseach air a’ cheud choimhcheangal; oir, a thuilleadh air an t-saorsa sin a th’ ann tre mhaithneas, nach robh idir anns a’ cheud aon, rinneadh mar an ceudna mòran ulluchaidh ann an aghaidh peacaidh, nach d’ rinneadh idir anns a’ cheud choimhcheangal:—

1. Tha ulluchadh air a dheanamh ann ‘an aghaidh gach uile pheacaidh a dheanadh an coimhcheangal a bhriseadh, agus a dheanadh dealachadh iomlan a chur eadar Dia agus an t-anam a bha aon uair air a thoirt a steach ‘na bhann. Tha an t-ulluchadh so iomlan. Ghabh Dia féin os làimh so fhaicinn air a choimhlionadh, agus an lagh sin a dhaingneachadh anns a’ choimhcheangal, nach bi e gu bràth air a sgaoladh le peacadh sam bith; Faic Ier. xxxii.- 40. Cha-n ‘eil seasmhachd a’ choimhcheangail so an crochadh air ni sam bith a tha annainn féin. Tha gach uile ni a tha annainn r’a chur ‘an cleachdadh mar mheadhon coimhlionaidh a’ gheallaidh so; ach tha crìoch na cùis an crochadh gu h-iomlan air dìlseachd Dhé. Agus tha an t-iomlan de chinnteachd agus de sheasmhachd a’ choimhcheangail an crochadh air éifeachd a ghràis a th’ air a fhrithealadh ann, chum daoine a ghleidheadh o gach uile pheacadh leis am bitheadh e air a bhriseadh d’ an taobh.

2. Anns a’ choimhcheangal so tha ulluchadh air a dheanamh air son Sithe agus comhfhurtachd sheasmhaich, a dh’ aindeoin ciont nam peacaidhean sin d’am bheil creidich gach aon la buailteach. Ged a tha iad a’ utiteam ann am peacaidhibh gach là, gidheadh cha-n’eil iad gach là a’ tuiteam ann an doimhneachdaibh. A réir comh-shuidheachadh a’ choimhcheangail so, feudaidh mothachadh peacadh chum irioslachaidh a dhol làmh air làimh ri comhfhurtachd làidir. An déigh do’n abstol a bhi ‘cur an céill an iomlain de’n chòmhrag a tha aig creidich ris a’ pheacadh agus na leòntan minic a tha iad a’ faotainn uath, a tha ‘dùsgadh air glaoidh air son saorsa, Rom. vii 24, tha e ‘comh-dhùnadadh dh’ aindeoin so uile, nach ‘eil a nis “dìteadh sam bith dhoibh.” Air a’ mhodh cheudna, 1 Eoin ii. 1, “Na nithe so tha mi ‘sgrìobhadh do ‘ur n-ionnsuidh chum nach peacaich sibh. Agus ma pheacaicheas neach sam bith, tha feartagraidh againn maille ris an. Athair, Iosa Criosd am firean.” Is e bu chòir a bhi ‘na phriomh chùram dhuinn, nach peacaidheamaid; ach gidheadh, air dhuinn ar cùram a’s mò a chur an cleachdadh, “ma their sinn nach ‘eil peacadh againn, tha sinn ‘gar mealladh féin,” caib. i. 8. Ciod, ma seadh, a tha creutairean bochda, peacach, gus a dheanamh? C’ uime, rachadh iad a dh’ ionnsuidh an Athar trid am feartagraidh, agus cha d’lobair iad ann a bhi ‘faontainn maithbeanais agus sìthe. Agus, a deir Pol. Eabh. vi. 17, 18, “tha Dia toileach gu’m bitheadh againne comhthurtachd làidir, a theich chum dìdein gu gréim a dheanamh air an dòchas a chuireadh romhainn.” Ged a dh’ fheudas sinne cionta peacadh a bhi air ar làmhaidh, air am bheil an lagh a’ bagradh bàis, gidheadh, air dhuinn teicheadh a dh’ ionnsuidh Chriosd air son dìdein, rinn Dia cha-n e mhain dion ulluchadh air ar son, ach mar an ceudna “comhfhurtachd làidir.” Cha-n e mhain gu bheil maithbeanas ann am fùil Chriosd a’ toirt cionta air falbh o’n anam, ach mar an ceudna buaireas o’n choguis. Air an aobhar so tha an t-abstol ag innseadh dhuinn, Eabh. x., nach b’urrainn lobairtean an lagha an luchd-aoraidh a dheanamh foirfe, chionn nach d’ thug iad riamh air falbh coguis peacaidh; is e sin, àmhgharan coguis do bhrìgh peacaidh. “Ach a nis,” a deir e, “ann an coimhcheangal nan gràs rinn Iosa Criosd ‘a chaoidh foirfe iadsan a tha air an naomhachadh,” rann 14; ag ulluchadh dhoibh a’ shamhuil sin de shìth agus de chomhfhurtachd sheasmhaich, as nach bi feum dhoibh na h-lobairtean ath-nuadhachadh o là gu là,” rann 18. Is é so dlomhaireachd mhòr an t-soisgeil ann am fuil Criosd, gu’m bitheadh aca-san a tha peacadhadh gach aon là sìth ri Dia ré an làithean uile, ma’s e’s gu bheil am peacaidhean ‘an leth a stigh de na h-anmhuinneachdaibh sin an aghaidh am bheil an comhfhurtachd so air ‘ullachadh.

3. Tha ulluchadh gràis air a dheanamh ann, a ghleidheach an anama o pheacaidhean mòra agus anabarrach, a tha ‘nan nàdur féin ullamh air a’ choguis a lotadh, agus an t-anam a thilgeadh ann an doimhneachdaibh imcheisteach anns nach bi suaimhneas no sìth aige. Anns a’ choimhcheangal so tha ro phailteas gràis air a fhrithealadh o’n lânachd a th’ ann an Criosd. Tha gràs a rloghachadh ann, a’ ceusadh agus a’ sgrios “cuirp a’ pheacaidh.”

Ach cha-n ‘eil frithealadh an ulluchaidh so a rinneadh ann an coimhcheangal nan gràs an aghaidh pheacaidhean a tha ‘fasachadh sìthe agus suaimhneis an anama, gu h-iomlan gun chumha. Tha frithealadh gràis a’ choimhcheangail ann an tomhas mòr an crochadh air a bhi ‘gleidheadh àitheantan a’ choimhcheangail. Tha faire, agus ùrnuigh, agus cleachdadh cheadimh, a’ claoidheadh peacaidh, a’ cathachadh ‘an aghaidh bhuaireidhean, gu d’chiollach, seasmhach, air an àithneadh dhuinn air gach làimh; agus sin chum a bhi ‘faotainn comhpairt de’n ghràs a dh’ ainmicheadh. Is iad na nithe so air ar taobh-ne an cumha air am bheil an ro phailteas gràis sin air frithealadh a tha gus ar gleidheadh o pheacaidhean a bhitheas a’ fasachadh suaimhneis an anama. Faic 2 Phead i. 3, 5-7. Cha-n fhoghain e, ma seadh, gu’m bitheadh slòl agus freumh nan nithe so annaibh o’n Spiorad Naomh; ach gu’n tugadh sibh mar an ceudna fainear gu’m bi iad a’ cinneachadh; oir as eugmhais so, ged a robh am freumh annaibh, ionnus nach bitheadh sibh gu h-iomlan marbh gu spioradail, gidheadh bithidh sibh ‘nur creutairibh bochda, neo-tharbhach ré bhur làithean uile. Ach a nis, ma’s e’s gu bheil na nithe so a’ meudachadh maille ruinn, an sin, deir an t-abstol, “Ma na sibh na nithe so, cha tuit sibh a chaoidh.” Ciod! an e nach tuit sinn a chaoidh anns a’ pheacadh? Ni h-eadh, cha-n ‘eil sin anns a’ ghealladh; agus an ti sin a their, air dha na h-uile ni a dheanamh, “nach ‘eil peacadh aige, is breugair e.” No an e nach tuit iad gu buileach a Dhia? Cha-n e; cha-n ‘eil gleidheadh an taghaidh o thuiteam air falbh gu buileach an crochadh air an samhuil so de chumhachaibh, gu sònruichte air tomhas sam bith dhiubh, mar a tha r’ a thuigsinn, le bhi ‘meudachadh annta. Ach is e seadh an abstoil nach tuit iad ‘nan seann pheacaidhean, o’n robh iad air an glanadh, rann 9, — na peacaidhean garbha sin anns an robh iad beò ‘nan staid neiompaichte, a dheanadh an coguisean a reubadh agus a thruailleadh. Uime sin, ged a tha ulluchadh na’s leòir deanta ann an coimhcheangal nan gràs tre Iosa Criosd chum a bhi ‘gleidheadh an anama o pheacaidhibh buaireasach, gidheadh tha an t-ulluchadh sin air a fhrithealadh d’ar taobh-ne ann an coimh-cheangal ri cleachdadh dhichiollach nam meadhona a chomharaicheadh dhuinn chum a bhi ‘ga fhaotainn.