John or Ian Nicolson was born in Glasgow in July 1919, the only boy in a family of three. His parents, who belonged to Skye, lived on the south side of Glasgow but later removed to the north side of the river to be near the Church. His father was seafaring but when John was still young he was able to get work ashore. These were difficult times and John’s mother, a praying woman, often had to resort to a Throne of grace and was not without answers to her petitions.
As a boy, John was very lively and often got into trouble. He delighted in playing tricks on people which was a concern to his mother. At school he did not apply himself, not being interested in school work, a matter which he later regretted very much. When he was about 9 years of age he fell off a dyke and broke his arm. While his mother was at the hospital waiting for him she was pleading with the Lord for him and received a promise that he would yet be a preacher of the Gospel which was later to be fulfilled. At 14 years of age he left school and at 16 he began his apprenticeship with an engineering firm, on completion of which he went to sea. At this time the Second World War was on. He and a friend although standing next to one another were assigned to different ships. During a battle his friend’s ship was sunk with all hands while John was to be preserved to the end of the war without receiving a scratch.
John continued at sea as a marine engineer after the war. His manner of life during this period was far removed from the upbringing he had received. The practice in those days of taking young apprentices out to celebrate after they had completed their apprenticeship had borne sad fruit in John’s case. It was to be many a day before he would be delivered from the evil in which he was ensnared and it was to cause his parents many a tear and sigh. His course of life during this period was very much that of the prodigal in the far country, yet in the midst of all his ungodliness and running after worldly pleasure some remnants of his strict upbringing remained with him. He was not given to swearing and would rebuke others for taking the Lord’s Name in vain. He would also debate with his workmates about the doctrines of the Bible. He also kept up the form of Bible reading morning and evening quite regularly. On occasions his mother’s face would come before him and he would see her shaking a warning finger at him. This would make him turn away from temptation and return to the ship. The Lord’s providential care also was exercised over him. Once on a dark, foggy night returning to his ship alone he was about to step on what he thought was the gangway of his ship when a glimmer of the moon appeared and he saw that he had almost stepped into a dry dock where he would have fallen to almost certain death. Another time when swimming he got into difficulty. His friends thinking it was all play-acting just laughed and did nothing. However, a new man who was there took him seriously and jumped in and saved him from drowning. On one occasion, after he had made a vow not to go swimming on a Sabbath again, he was persuaded to go. When he dived into the water he was taken with severe cramp and thought he would never get out of the water. At once he remembered his vow and prayed for forgiveness and help. The Lord heard him and he was able to get out safely and never again forgot his promise to the Lord.
The Lord’s time to deliver him out of Satan’s kingdom was at hand. Though still pursuing his godless ways he went one evening to the house of God. That evening the Lord arrested him in his godless course. Though his mind was on other things during the sermon, the minister in closing the Bible said, “Too long have you been the workers of iniquity”, and repeated it the second time. These words went as an arrow of conviction to John’s heart. Now he knew what it was to be in anguish and distress of soul. He knew not which way to turn for deliverance. He began, however, to read his Bible and seek deliverance for his soul from the hell which he now saw his sins deserved. Almost in despair one night he said to his sister that he couldn’t even pray. Though unconverted herself she directed him to the publican’s prayer, “God be merciful to me a sinner”. That night he threw himself on his knees and uttering this prayer wrestled with the Lord well into the night. At length opening his Bible his eyes fell on these words, “Now are ye clean through the Word that I have spoken unto you”. His bands were now loosed and he was filled with joy and praise towards his Lord and Saviour and spent much of the night singing psalms. How overjoyed his mother was when she heard that this son of many prayers had been turned to the Lord!
Not long after he had professed publicly the saving change that had been wrought in him by the Spirit of God, it was impressed on him that he was to preach the Gospel. The words were, “I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel, therefore hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from me.” At once he put the words away feeling his unfitness for such a high calling. This continued a considerable time but after much striving and distress to be rid of the impression he was ultimately convinced that it was of the Lord. His minister, whom he consulted, encouraged him to go forward. The task was no light one for him to proceed to the studies necessary for the ministry, especially as he had left school so young. However, he was enabled to go on and complete the course laid out for him and was eventually licensed to preach the Gospel. At that time he was encouraged by the words, “I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.”
He was called first of all to the Congregation of Ness after its former minister, Rev. Wm. MacLean, had been translated to Gisborne in New Zealand. Here he laboured for a period of seven years setting before sinners life and death, warning the wicked that it would be ill with them and comforting the Lord’s people with the assurance that it would be well with them. In this congregation he had the added disadvantage that it was Gaelic speaking and that at least one of the services on the Lord’s day had to be in that language. He, however, persisted in his task.
Besides his labours in his own congregation he was frequently away at communion seasons in different parts of the Church. In 1970 he was asked to visit Canada and the U.S.A as Church deputy and during that time met a good number of our people out there, including Mrs MacLennen, Hillsdale, one who was like-minded with himself and who was to become his wife. From this time he ever retained a warm interest in the people of our Church in those countries. (He also visited Canada in 1974.)
After returning from Canada he received a call to the joint congregation of Tain and Fearn where the late Mr Archibald Robertson had laboured as a missionary for many years. Here again he continued to set life and death before the people. It was not the Lord’s will however that he should remain for long in this charge. For some time before his trouble was diagnosed it was evident that he was not in good health. The last year of his life was spent in much pain and declining strength. To those who were tempted and cast down he would say: “Go on your knees. Confess your sins to the Lord and say, The blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son cleanseth us from all sin, and Satan will flee from you.”
In May 1977 he was admitted into hospital for X-rays. To the porter who accompanied him he spoke of the way of salvation by grace alone and prayed that it would be blessed to him. He spoke in the same way to a doctor who attended him in his home when he was given the opportunity. The X-rays taken at the hospital confirmed that his trouble was cancer and that the days remaining to him were few. He was reconciled to the Lord’s will in this. On his deathbed he received a letter from Rhodesia telling of an African who was greatly helped by hearing one of his sermons on a tape. He saw this as a fulfilling of the promise given that he was to preach to the nations. While rejoicing over this, he exclaimed, “Pride, cursed pride.” Satan did not often buffet him on his death bed but on this occasion tried him.
He told that when he knew the nature of his trouble the peace of God came flooding into his soul such as he had never experienced before. This continued with him until the end. He remained in a spiritual frame of mind though suffering much bodily pain. He mentioned a burning in his bones, but said, “What is this in comparison to what Christ suffered.” He was heard saying at different times, “Why me, Lord? Why me?” Then he would say, “The sovereignty of God.” On his last day on earth many of his own congregation called to see him to whom he proclaimed the Gospel. He was conscious to the last. In the end someone suggested that they sing the 23rd Psalm. His lips were seen forming each of the words until his last words on earth were uttered:
“And in God’s house for evermore
My dwelling place shall be.”
So he passed from time to eternity one who endeavoured to declare the whole counsel of God to his fellow-sinners and who laboured for their ingathering to the kingdom of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. His remains were laid to rest in the Tain cemetery, near those of Mr Archibald Robertson, to await the call of the morning of the resurrection.
“Then are they glad because at rest
and quiet now they be
So to the haven He them brings
which they desired to see.”
May his widow and sisters experience the fulfilment of the promise: “For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death.”
D.B.M.