The Rock of Our Salvation, by Lachlan Mackenzie of Lochcarron, published by Reformation Press, paperback, 125 pages, £6.90, available from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.
Rev Lachlan Mackenzie of Lochcarron is well known as one of the outstanding Highland preachers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In this book we find a memoir written by one of his sisters, four of his sermons, and a poem penned by himself on the occasion of the death of another sister. The work was originally published in 1849, when it was the first public appearance of Mr Lachlan’s sermons in print. Although not mentioned in this reprint, the four sermons and poem all appear in the book, Lectures, Sermons and Writings of Rev Lachlan Mackenzie of Lochcarron, published in 1928 by a Free Presbyterian elder. For those who do not possess this latter book, the four sermons contained in The Rock of our Salvation are a rich introduction to the treasure of Mr Lachlan’s preaching.
The sermons reveal that the preacher was at once an accomplished theologian and a man of deep Christian experience. They exalt the Divine Saviour and His finished work as the only ground of a sinner’s pardon and acceptance with God. In the first sermon, on the Rock smitten, he says, “The justice of God found our sins upon Him, and this drew all the curses of the law upon Him. Every sin procured Him a curse, and every curse procured Him a stroke. But every curse with which the law struck Him procured blessings upon blessings for His Church and people. The law cursed Him, and He blessed them.”
The freeness of the gospel is not obscured in these sermons. On the water which flowed from the rock smitten, he comments that “all the congregation had a right to drink of the water. In like manner, the benefits of the Redeemer’s death extend to all ends of the earth. The gospel feast is a feast for all nations. No Israelite was excluded from that water – so no sinner is excluded from this feast, if he does not exclude himself. Any man whatever that comes to take it, is welcome to the water of life. The water of life is free and open to all. The streams that flowed from the rock ran in such abundance that there was enough and to spare for all the people.”
Nor is comfort for the downcast withheld. In his sermon on the great and precious promises, he addresses those who are finding they cannot lay hold on the promise as they would desire. To such he says, “Some of the people of God may follow Christ in the dark. They attempt to believe, and find the work difficult. But though they should be in bondage all their days through slavish fear, they are safe. Follow them to their retirements – they endeavour to believe and love Christ. Follow them to their secular concerns – they recommend Him to others. They endeavour to believe and embrace the promises – they find they cannot – they cannot go further. They therefore leave the work in the hand of God – and though they are without comfort, the everlasting arms are under them and will secure their happiness.”
The last sermon takes the reader into the heights of glory above and presents a sublime view of heaven which is most interesting and edifying.
We cannot commend these sermons too highly. The poem too is worth reading and we close this review with the first two verses, “Great King of saints and angels bright, / who once didst dwell in clay, / our battles Thou didst bravely fight, / and Thou hast gained the day. / For us a place Thou didst prepare, / a city great and high, / bright palaces and mansions fair / beyond the sun and sky.”
(Rev) I D MacDonald