The Late Alex. Ewen Alexander, Elder, Glasgow.
The subject of this notice was born in the year 1913 and spent his early years in Fochabers in Morayshire. In 1932, he came to the City of Glasgow where he was employed in one of the Warehouses there. He was called up to the Pioneer Corps in the Army during the Second World War, but was later discharged due to his eyesight. He never forgot his period in the Armed Services and did his utmost, while at home to provide comforts and help for the young men and women from St. Jude’s who were serving their country during that terrible time. He was latterly with the South of Scotland Electricity Board until he retired.
Alex. Alexander belonged originally to the Church of Scotland. Being religiously inclined, he took a great interest in its activities. In the providence of God, he came to lodge with two pious ladies, the Misses Morton. Their father had been an elder with the late Rev. J. R. Anderson who had separated from the Free Church in 1852 because of the tendency to Arminianism creeping into the preaching of the ministers of that body. The piety of the sisters had an influence on the young lodger and he began to attend the services in the St. Jude’s congregation, in which they were both communicants. Thus the purposes of eternal love were being fulfilled. He now heard doctrine and took part in a form of worship of which he had been ignorant before. The Word of God was blessed to his soul; his sins became a solemn reality to him; and he could find no rest until he found it under the shade of the Lord Jesus. He could now say, “As the apple tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste” (Song. 2:3). Like many of the Lord’s people the spiritual change was gradual but there could be no doubt about its reality. A verse made specially precious to him was, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles: they shall run and not be weary: and they shall walk and not faint” (Is. 40:41).
In April, 1936, he came before the Kirk Session seeking to sit at the Lord’s Table for the first time. When he was accepted, he had a special time of spiritual joy. He never forgot the refreshing of soul he felt at this time when he was enabled to undertake this duty placed upon him by his blessed Lord. Another green spot was a prayer-meeting held by a group of young men from the St. Jude’s congregation in the home of the Misses Morton. Of the original number of these young men, there are only three
now left in the Valley of Baca. These are Rev. A. McPherson, London; Captain James Henderson, Dumbarton; and the present writer. In March, 1946, Alex. was ordained a deacon and in March, 1949, an elder, in the St. Jude’s congregation. He took a great spiritual and practical interest in the affairs of the congregation and sought its welfare, prayerfully and earnestly.
Soon after his marriage, Mr Alexander moved to the town of Dumbarton. After the conclusion of the War, he was instrumental in having a new Church built there for the benefit of the congregation, who had been previously meeting in a small Hall. He took the Sabbath services and week-day prayer-meetings for many years and laboured diligently seeking the spiritual and eternal good of souls. Prior to the War, communion services had been held in Dumbarton but these had ceased. In the 1960s, however, the Church was extended and communion services were re-commenced. It was a matter of great joy to our friend that the Lord’s death was once more commemorated in the congregation. He saw the congregation raised to the status of a sanctioned charge and a minister set over it for the first time. It has often been remarked that it was a good thing that death removed him from being an eye-witness to the circumstances which led to the loosing of the pastoral tie between that minister and the congregation, which Mr Alexander so loved and where he had so laboured to build up.
On his retirement from business, Mr Alexander returned to Glasgow and became beadle in St. Jude’s. Here he evidenced the same concern and diligence which had always been a feature of his Christian course. It was not to be for long, however. In the closing days of 1978, there was a heavy snow fall. When engaged in clearing away this snow he suffered a heart attack. Although no immediate danger was expected, he suffered another attack and, on 3rd January, 1979, passed away from this present scene to be with the Lord, Who loved him and Who had redeemed him at so great a cost. The loss to his family, congregation and Church was felt to be very great but our loss undoubtedly was his everlasting gain.
As a spiritually-minded Christian with clear and well-formed views of Divine Truth, Alex. was a profitable companion with whom one could enjoy sweet fellowship. He could express himself very well in addressing the people or in speaking to the Question. He was edifying to listen to. He carried out his duties as an office-bearer as one who felt he was taking to do with the high things of Zion. He was a spiritually-convinced Free Presbyterian. Having been in the Church of Scotland, he knew only too well the soul-destroying effects of false christianity and regarded his
deliverance therefore as a signal instance of divine mercy. He had no place for those who are for ever thinking that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence and who, while full of praise for others, are critical of their own Church. He knew very well that while such think they have an excess of christian charity, they are in reality the victims of spiritual blindness and religious ignorance. It was a privilege for a true minister of the gospel to have such a man as an elder. Instead of weakening one’s hands, one felt strengthened. “Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men” (Ps. 12:1).
To his widow and son, we extend our sincere sympathy and pray that the Lord will uphold and keep them.
D.M., Glasgow.
The Late Mrs Neville, Glasgow.
Mrs Neville, whose maiden name was Smith, was born in the parish of Uig, Isle of Lewis, on 5th January, 1900. This parish was greatly favoured in the early 19th century through the ministry of Rev. Alex. MacLeod. A notable revival of religion took place and the spiritual darkness which had reigned for so long was dispelled to a remarkable degree. This revival was marked by an unusual degree of purity and a notable group of Christians was raised up to show forth the praises of Him Who had called them out of darkness into His marvellous light.
Mrs Neville had the great benefit of being brought up in a godly home, her father, Malcolm Smith, being a pious elder. She left home in her teens to work in Nelson, Lancashire, but returned to Glasgow in 1921 and went to work as a nurse in Gartloch Hospital. Here she met her husband who was a male nurse in that hospital. They were married in 1928 and set up home in Baillieston and afterwards in Carntyne. Mr Neville died in 1974.
Mrs Neville was brought to the knowledge of the gospel when she was about 30 years of age. She came to realise her state as a sinner and her need of a Saviour. The words, “And him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out,” seem to have been made very precious to her. She told of one occasion of being very cast down. She heard a sermon on the words, “O send out Thy light and Thy truth . . .” (Ps. 43:3,4). She felt so uplifted that she could say, “He is my chiefest joy.” “I felt,” she said, “I could have called on all in the house to say that He is my chiefest joy.” “But,” she added, “these enlightenments did not come often.” She often complained of the coldness of her love to Christ and of the plague of her
own heart. “How do I know at times that I really love Him. Surely, if I did, I should not have such wicked thoughts.”
Her husband belonged to the Christian Brethren and she felt it her duty to go with him, although he never objected to her attending St. Jude’s when the opportunity arose. She was able to get a lift with one of our elders, especially to the Gaelic services, the distance from her home being too great to walk. On the death of her husband, she began to attend St. Jude’s regularly and in due time became a communicant. She continued to attend and to appreciate the gospel, until she was laid aside in her last illness. Her end was peace and she passed away to be with Christ on 1st July, 1978. Her two daughters were standing one day by her bedside in the hospital. One of them said to her, ‘Mum, you do not want to leave us, do you?’ To this, she replied, “No, I do not want to leave my girls, but if the Lord calls, I will go.” She was made ready to go by divine grace.
Mrs Neville was a woman of considerable natural intelligence. As a Christian, she took delight in teaching her children and her grandchildren the way of salvation. One could not but be impressed at the obvious affection and regard they all had for her and this, no doubt, arose from the sense that she sought their highest good. “Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised” (Prov. 31:30).
We extend our sincere sympathy to her family. May the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort be their help.
D.M., Glasgow.
The Protest of 1843
W.M.