Robert Ross, Wick

From the Free Presbyterian Magazine, March 1902, vol 6(11), p419-424.

The late Captain Ross, Wick.

It is with feelings of deep sorrow that we record this month the death of the much-respected Captain Robert Ross which took place at his house, 6 Beaufoy Street, Pulteneytown, Wick, on Sabbath morning, the 2nd February. The deceased had reached the venerable age of nearly 91 years. He was endowed with an excellent physical constitution, and during his long and active life, seldom knew what a day’s sickness was. Not until he was five years over the three-score-and-ten did he retire from a seafaring life, and even then he was fresh and vigorous in health. Within the last year or two, however, the manly form that had withstood many a blast on the stormy ocean began to droop, old age began to impress the marks of decay upon it; though up to the middle of October last, he was able to go in and out very much as usual. Shortly after this, however, he was completely laid aside, and gradually got weaker and weaker, until he gently passed into the haven of eternal rest on the date mentioned. Our departed friend, it may be said without exaggeration, was a living epistle of Christ, known and read of all men—a man greatly beloved in life and now deeply lamented in death. His was a Christen character of rare worth, and his removal is a great loss not only to his own immediate relations and friends, but to the Church at large. A few particulars in regard to his life and character may be of interest to our readers.

Robert Ross was born in Scourie, in the parish of Eddrachilis, Sutherlandshire, on the 11th of June, 1811. His father was Hugh Ross, a pious man, and an elder in the Church of Scotland of that day. He had a family of five sons; the subject of this sketch was the fourth and last surviving. The third son, it may be stated, was Alexander Ross who died a few years ago at Tarbet, Scourie, at a very advanced age, and who was a well known figure at communion gatherings in the north. Robert, as a boy, was like others, full of all the vivacity and frolic of youth. He came under religious impressions, however, at the early age of 14. These impressions set him to prayer and reading the Bible, but they did not issue in saving conversion, according to his own testimony, until he was between 20 and 21 years. During this preliminary period he built his hope of salvation on the works of the law, and thought he was sure of heaven on account of his diligence in religious duties. But eventually the Lord visited him in a day of special power, swept away the false foundation on which he was resting, and showed him that he was a lost sinner on the brink of an undone eternity. It was in this frame of mind when he was brought to see his true position in the sight of God and was trembling on the border of destruction, that the Lord revealed Himself to him as the Saviour of that which was lost, in some such precious words as these, “ Deliver from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom.” Robert was now taken from the fearful pit and the miry clay; his feet were planted on the rock, Christ Jesus, and his soul was filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. In this happy frame of mind he continued for a considerable time, but as he was often heard to say, he had many ups and downs afterwards. He had discoveries of the corruption of his nature that he knew nothing of at his first outset in the Christian course.

Robert, as a youth, was marked by the same independence of mind as characterised him in later years. The minister of Scourie in those early days was a preacher somewhat after the “moderate” type. Robert’s father and other good people, nevertheless, regularly attended the church; but he refused to do so, preferring to go to a retired place in the rocks with his Bible and good books. He did not, however, undervalue the office of the ministry. Having heard reports of eminent preachers of the gospel in other parts of the country, he felt a strong desire to visit these places and hear these preachers. This desire was the main impulse that prompted him to go to sea. He came in a fishing boat to the town of Wick on a fishing occasion, during the time that the Rev. Archibald Cook was minister at Bruan (1823-36). Many walked from Wick to Bruan, a distance of 8 miles, every Sabbath to hear Mr. Cook, and young Robert Ross was found among them. He heard also at this early period “the great Mr. Gunn” of Watten, the Rev. John Munro, Halkirk, the Rev. Finlay Cook, Reay, and other eminent ministers; but of all the preachers of the gospel that ever he listened to, then or since, the Rev. Archibald Cook left the deepest impression on him. We have heard him say that sometimes after hearing a powerful and searching sermon from Mr. Cook, he would be so much overwhelmed in mind that he would be thinking he would not go back again to hear him, but that, before the following Sabbath came, he was as desirous of going back as ever. One of the prominent features in Mr. Cook’s preaching was a constant desire to humble the sinner in self-abasement, and to exalt the free and sovereign grace of God, and the impress of this spiritual teaching was deeply marked on our friend’s views of Christian truth. At a subsequent date, when Mr. Cook was in Daviot, Captain Ross, who happened to be for a time in Inverness, regularly walked to Daviot to hear him. He ever cherished a profound regard for Mr. Cook’s memory.

In 1846 Captain Ross took up his residence permanently in Wick. He then married Janet Sinclair, a pious young woman, who had been brought to the knowledge of the truth under Mr. Archibald Cook’s ministry. She was a bright example of living Christianity, and at a ripe age predeceased her husband in 1892.

As a shipmaster, Captain Ross was well and favourably known to the shipping community of Wick. He was a seaman of exceptional courage and ability. His Christian fortitude shone forth in the stormiest sea. Nothing seemed to daunt him, and when other brave sailors were tremulous with fear, he was calm and unmoved. His anchor was within the veil; he endured “as seeing him who is invisible;” God was his refuge and his strength, a very present help in trouble; and therefore he did not fear though the waters roared and were troubled and the mountains did shake with the swelling thereof. His undaunted courage commanded the admiration of his men, and his honest kindliness of heart endeared him to them. They saw there was something uncommon about the man, and if they did not understand the deep-seated religion of his heart, they at least learned to respect his manly character. The most reckless sailor admired Captain Robert Ross. At this point we must refer to his reverence for the Sabbath. Mariners are exposed to special temptations, and one of these is to make little or no distinction between the Lord’s day and ordinary week days. But our honoured friend, as became a vital Christian, resisted the temptation, and maintained a tender regard for the holy day no matter where he was. A rather striking incident in this connection may here be related. Captain Ross was, on one occasion, at a distant port; his ship was destined for home, and everything was ready for the sea; but the Sabbath was not far off, and so he determined not to sail until Monday morning. Another captain, whose ship was alongside and who was preparing to sail for Wick also, asked him whether he did not think of setting out for home, but he replied that he would not move now until the Sabbath was past. “O well,” said the other, “we can be telling your friends that you are coming after us.” “You can do that,” replied Captain Ross. But what was the actual result? Though the other captain had at least a day and a half’s sailing of advantage, Captain Ross was in port before him, contrary winds interfering with the other’s progress on the Sabbath. The lesson from this circumstance is obvious. No one was ever the loser by a firm regard for the sanctity of the Lord’s day. Captain Ross sold his vessel and retired from the sea in 1886. Though 75 years of age, he was still hale and hearty, and took a special pleasure in visiting his friends here and there in the county.

As already related, our friend was somewhat of a religious dissenter in his youth. This, we have to add, he continued to be more or less through life. Though an admirer of the fathers of the Disruption in 1843, and a staunch upholder of the principles for which they contended, he was never quite satisfied with the Free Church. He was a strong believer in the Establishment principle, and he could not brook any tendency to weaken the Church’s hold of that principle. He also abhorred every form of Arminianism, and any leaven of this kind was obnoxious to him. Elements of the character described existing in a religious body which professed the sound doctrines of the Confession, were fitted to alienate him from her. However, he never hesitated to countenance and support those in the Church who were distinctly loyal to her principles and preached the gospel in its purity and fulness. For such men as Drs. Kennedy and Begg he entertained a high regard. It need hardly be said further that when the Rev. Messrs. Macfarlane and Macdonald raised a testimony for the truth in 1893, he cordially supported them, and rejoiced at the formation of the Free Presbyterian Church. We have heard him say, “I was never so well satisfied with any Church as with this.”

During the last ten years or so of his life he appeared a good deal in public in connection with Church matters, and had no hesitation in taking part at religious meetings and conducting them as occasion offered. He became well known in this respect at the Pulteneytown Academy and throughout Caithness. His lectures and exercises were highly enjoyed by the people, and were much valued for their spiritual, and edifying character. It may be thought a rather remarkable circumstance that this worthy man did not communicate at the Lord’s table until he was about 88 years of age. The fact that he was not satisfied with the ecclesiastical course of the Free Church no doubt contributed to prevent him from entering into fellowship with her. Latterly, however, his difficulty was as to spiritual light and special grace for the solemn and holy exercise of partaking of “ the communion of the body and blood of Christ.” But when he felt this difficulty removed he went forward on a sacramental occasion at Wick, and the sight of the aged and beloved Christian proceeding for the first time to the Lord’s table, moved many in the congregation to tears.

It now remains for us to briefly summarise the salient features in the character of our departed friend. He was a living Christian. His religion did not consist in a mere round of duties, but in seeking after and enjoying communications out of the fulness that is in Christ. “Leave us not content with forms without life or power from heaven,” was a frequent petition of his. He was a man of great integrity of principle, circumspect and conscientious in all the duties of life. He could not bear anything like dishonesty, v vain show or hypocrisy. He was distinguished for the utmost kindliness and sympathetic tenderness of heart. Somewhat reserved in manner and sometimes blunt in speech, he was withal one of the most warm-hearted men. He entered with deep feeling into all the changing experiences of his fellow-creatures. He rejoiced with them in their prosperity and sorrowed with them in their adversity. To those in soul trouble no one could be more tender and sympathetic. In the young of his acquaintance he took an affectionate and fatherly interest. He was also remarkable for his submission to the sovereign will of God in all things. He had his own share of trouble and sorrow in this life, but it is no exaggeration to say that no one ever heard a complaining word out of his lips. “ The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” was his song in the night of adversity. In this grace of devout submission to the will of God, he outshone almost every Christian we have had the privilege to see. He seemed to have got such a sight of the infinite glory of God and of his own utter unworthiness of the least of God’s mercies, that it was a constant wonder to him how much goodness he was receiving at the hand of the Most High. He felt there was no room for complaint at any time. And yet this uncomplaining disposition did not prevent him from sympathising most tenderly with others in their afflictions whether great or small. Such then are some of the features of a beautiful Christian character in which the graces of the Spirit met in rare harmony and proportion.

In his latter days, Captain Ross spent a good deal of his time in visiting his friends and in reading at home. He was conversant with many of the old divines, and with writers in recent times that possessed a like spirit and doctrine. He did not confine himself to Presbyterian writers, but read with pleasure and profit the sermons and discourses of spiritual preachers belonging to the Baptist and other denominations. He had a special delight in the sermons of the late eminent Mr. J. C. Philpot of the Particular Baptists; and he also appreciated highly the books of some evangelical ministers in the Church of England.

We cannot omit mentioning that he was predeceased not only by his wife, as already stated, but also by his only son, Captain Hugh Ross, and one of his daughters, Mrs. Watt, Lybster, both of whom were witnesses for the truth in their day, and were cut off in the prime of life in 1891. Captain Hugh suffered not a little in his maritime career for his faithful adherence to the sanctity of the Sabbath.

We now conclude our sketch. On the Sabbath on which the venerable Captain passed away, the Rev. Donald Beaton made an affecting reference in the Academy to the great loss the congregation and the church had sustained, as also did Mr. Campbell, missionary, with whom the deceased had been intimately associated for the last twenty years at Wick. “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” “The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.”

J. S. S.