Mr Angus MacRitchie
Angus MacRitchie was born in December 1934 in Swainbost, in the Ness district of the Isle of Lewis. He spent all of his life in his home village except for a short period in England, on national service in the army. Angus remained around 40 years in the wilderness of this world with no concern for the needs of his immortal soul and of the claims of the Lord upon him as an accountable creature and a fallen sinner. Although he never missed family worship he did not attend church during this period of his life.
The time came, in the mercy of God, when Angus came under concern for the welfare of his soul for eternity and came to see his need of attending the preaching of the gospel. Although nominally connected with the Free Church of Scotland, Angus was brought to make his way to the Free Presbyterian Church, where Rev William MacLean had returned in 1976 from the Grafton congregation to recommence his labours in Ness. Mr MacLean was in the habit of paying a short visit to Angus’ mother and aunt around five times a week, since the family home was situated immediately opposite the Free Presbyterian manse. He invariably prayed with them on these occasions. The words Mr MacLean constantly quoted in prayer in Angus’ hearing were: “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). It appears that, through these words, the way of salvation was opened up to Angus’ understanding.
Angus was enabled to profess faith in Christ publicly in the year 1988. In 1991 he was elected to the office of deacon in the Ness congregation and in 1996 to that of the eldership. He represented the Ness congregation on the Outer Isles Presbytery and at the Synod on a good number of occasions.
Though naturally a retiring and private individual, Angus was gifted with a keen intelligence and a highly-retentive memory and he was one who observed the wider state of the nation with concern. In prayer he frequently asked the Lord for “laithean dusgaidh is amannan fionnarach” (days of awakening and times of refreshing). Though he never saw these petitions fulfilled, we nevertheless fully believe they will be answered in the Lord’s own time. Angus was often charged with the burden of keeping the services in Ness over the latter part of the long vacancy in the congregation. Indeed, a great many of the Ness congregation’s affairs fell upon him for a considerable period and, in manfully shoulderng these responsibilities, we believe he showed his devotion not only to the cause and people of Christ but also to the King and Head of the Church Himself.
Angus MacRitchie departed peacefully from this life into the great eternity in the Western Isles Hospital on 30 August 2013 after a period of illness. His Bible was found resting upon him and opened at Isaiah 54, and with the words of the portion (v 13) marked that he gave out at the last Fellowship Meeting he attended, at the Ness communion in October 2012: “All thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children”.
(Rev) A W MacColl