Mr John Murray, Elder, North Tolsta
This worthy man passed away on the fifth day of May, 1994, in his ninetieth year. He was born and brought up in a home and within a family circle where parents endeavoured to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It takes, however, more than parental teaching and example to bring children to a saving knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus and John Murray was to pass from childhood to manhood and even reach middle-age before passing from death to life.
Like many of his contemporaries in the village of North Tolsta he, on coming to years, followed a seafaring life, first as a fisherman, and then throughout the Second World War as a seaman in the Royal Navy. As a reservist he was called up in 1939 and was brought through many perils in the years that followed. On one occasion he was, in the Lord’s providence, transferred from a ship which was shortly thereafter sunk and among those who lost their lives were three of his fellow islanders. On demobilisation he returned home to his wife and children in North Tolsta and obtaining employment he diligently provided for their needs and with the help of his like-minded wife, three sons and five daughters were reared.
John Murray was by natural disposition a peaceable and amiable man. Having come under baptismal vows, he faithfully endeavoured to discharge the obligations under which that action placed him. He was attentive on the public means of grace and his outward conduct was blameless, but what his inward exercise of soul was at this period is not known. The first outward evidence of his being under soul concern was manifested in connection with the death of his mother in 1956. Bereft of her, he was now left to bewail the fact what he had not paid better heed to all the counsels and words of advice which he had received from her with regard to the salvation of his never-dying soul. Over the next few years John Murray was increasingly to know that it was indeed an evil thing and bitter that he had sinned against the Lord and what he now sought above everything else was mercy for his guilty soul. In August 1964 he underwent major surgery in the Lewis Hospital. Complications rendered it necessary to perform a second operation on the following day and this further operation was to affect one of his legs, leaving him lame for the rest of his life. He was brought to a very low state but, as there is to everything a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven, so this proved to be the time appointed for the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ in His mercy and love to his soul. The particular portion of the Word of God which brought life, light and liberty was: “For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God”. The first visitor to his hospital bed was his sister. Filled with anxiety and concern and anxious to know what his physical state was, she was greatly surprised to see a happy, cheerful countenance. To her he said: “Whether it’s death or life it matters not now, my life is hid with Christ in God. All is well.” The consistency of his Christian profession over the years that followed was to confirm that John Murray had indeed passed from death to life.
Although he was to remain a semi-invalid for the rest of his life, his recovery was nonetheless remarkable. In March 1966 he was enabled to profess the Lord publicly for the first time. Election to office followed in due course: to the Deaconship in 1968 and then to the Eldership in 1974. The duties of both these offices were discharged in an exemplary manner. The Cause of Christ came first with John Murray and within and outwith the bounds of his own congregation he did his utmost to uphold and advance it. While able, he attended communion seasons throughout the island. His home was well known for its hospitality and the reason for this was particularly evident at North Tolsta communion seasons when visitors from far and near were entertained under its roof. His wife, Murdina, who was also a communicant member in the North Tolsta congregation, was a true help-meet to him. Of one mind as far as the things of God were concerned, they were ideally suited to one another. In May 1989, when the newspapers and media generally made out that the Free Presbyterian Church was now finished and that the vast majority of its people had left to join the APCs, Mrs Murray’s light on the path of duty shone from the words, “Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endowed with power from on high”. On being thus encouraged she immediately turned to her husband and said to him “Cha chairich sinne, Iain”, (“We will not move, John.”)
Mr and Mrs Murray lost two of their sons, the oldest in 1976 and the second oldest in 1987. The latter’s death occurred suddenly and unexpectedly on board his ship and his parents never really recovered from the shock. Mrs Murray predeceased her husband by four years and he felt her loss greatly. They are now together, we fully believe, in that land where sorrow and suffering are unknown, “with Christ; which is far better.” They have left a fragrant memory behind them. Over these last years of his life John Murray was totally blind but otherwise he remained in full possession of his faculties right to the end. He was lovingly cared for by his daughter Isabel who was in the home with him and by his other equally devoted daughters as they were able. At the beginning of April, 1994, he was removed to the Western Isles Hospital seriously ill and, after much suffering, he, as already noted, entered the rest that remaineth unto the people of God on 5th May, 1994.
“Mark thou the perfect, and behold
the man of uprightness;
Because that surely of this man
the latter end is peace.”
To his son and daughters we anew express our sympathy and also to his three surviving sisters in North Tolsta, one of whom — Bella Murray — supplied us with most of the information which this short obituary contains.
J. MacLeod