By Rev. J. A. MacDonald, Fort William.
Many besides me, no doubt, will often be found reminiscing upon sweet portions of God’s Word which they heard from the lips of the man of God, Rev. D. A. MacFarlane, late minister of Dingwall. Indeed, he was a succourer of many, both young and old. Favourite petitions often heard from his lips were: “Create a clean heart, Lord renew a right spirit me within,” “Oh, Lord do thou possess us; oh, possess us.” “Increase our faith and hope for eternity.” It was obvious that he longed for Job’s full assurance: “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” Mr MacFarlane was most helpful, particularly to the weak of the flock, when serving the Lord’s Table at Communion times. We believe he had them before his mind and sought to obey the divine command: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith the Lord.”
We have the most precious recollections of his unfeigned steadfastness in the Synod, particularly when the historic Protest of Rev. D. MacFarlane in the Assembly of the Declaratory Act Free Church of 1893 was assailed by those, who had failed to grasp the crucial significance of this important event. Mr MacFarlane often helped to break the clouds, thus causing the blessed sun to shine again, as well as, “turning to flight the armies of the aliens.”
When he was appointed Tutor by the supreme court of our Church, he obtained permission from that Court, to take a refresher course in Hebrew at the London University. There he made his mark, as the writer well knows. During this period he also supplied the London Congregation, having three services every Sabbath.
I was once with him one Sabbath in his own pulpit at Dingwall, when he preached from Psalm 45: 2, “Thou fairer art than sons of men.” In his own usual masterly way he spoke of His saints and angels, as they eternally continue to view Him, as “fairer than the sons of men,” “the Lamb in the midst of the throne.” However, in the Church’s own eyes she viewed herself as indeed poor and needy, as we find her confessing: “From the soul of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds and bruises, and putrifying sores.” While the Lord’s people are in the valley of Baca, he said, their prayer must be: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean, Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
He further proceeded to illustrate his text in a most unique way, as the following shows. When in London he said, I was sort of fascinated by a notice in a shop window in the Strand area: “A Beauty Parlour!” Afterwards, however, I discovered that to these parlours many of the so-called aristocracy, film stars, and actresses came, from time to time, to be made beautiful; that is, to get rid of many spots, blemishes and wrinkles, etc, before they appeared at the various theatres in that vast city. But you are saying: “There is not one beauty parlour in Dingwall.” Oh my, yes! yes! There has been a beauty parlour in Dingwall since 1893, although it is erected of corrugated iron. But you answer: “There are no ‘stars’ who live so far North as Dingwall.” Oh, yes! yes! there are two beautiful stars at Garve, who frequent this place Sabbath after Sabbath, as well as the mid-week Prayer meeting, rejoicing in this — that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Many others of whom we so often think are away to the mountains of spices — “a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” They shall sing for ever and ever: “Thou fairer art than sons of men.” May we be of them in the day when He makes up his jewels.