CHAPTER 4 — Communion at Dingwall — Janet Macleod.

Years passed on. Mary was evidently growing in grace. She had found a home and employment in her benefactress’ house, and continued in her service till the lady died. Then she left Inverness and obtained a place of residence in the parish of Croy where she could enjoy the ministration of her spiritual instructor in the Lord—Mr. James Calder. Not long, however, after her removal to that parish, Mary was called upon to act towards another Skye wanderer the same part that was performed towards herself by the lady whom she met on the bridge on her arrived at Inverness.

You may have heard of the mineral waters of Strathpeffer, in the neighbourhood of Dingwall, and may have regarded those waters as if they were only recently discovered. So far, however, is that from being the case, that from time immemorial (it appears) they were resorted to by certain classes of invalids. Superstition had long taken advantage of the curative properties of such waters. When Popery prevailed in the land, and even down to the time we are speaking of, if one went to any well such as those at Strathpeffer, he would find all the bushes around covered with rags or handkerchiefs or strips of the garments left by the persons relieved—these being regarded as so many votive offerings commemorative of their thankfulness to the saint who was believed to preside over the healing powers of the wells in question. It was only at a comparatively recent period that such practices were put down by the power of the Gospel.

To this mineral well at Strathpeffer a farmer’s wife from Kilmaluag, in the parish of Kilmuir in Skye, came down, in hopes of recovering from some ailment wherewith she was afflicted. She was accompanied by a daughter, and they remained for some weeks. At that time there were three parishes in the neighbourhood highly favoured. The ministers in each were men of God and men of prayer, abounding in works of faith and labours of love. They had much to do to uproot habits and practices which were the result of ages of superstition and ungodliness. Among

such favoured parishes was that of Dingwall, and in good old Mr Rose’s day, and in the days of his predecessor, Mr M’Kenzie, the town was the resort—especially at the times of the administration of the Lord’s Supper-of great numbers of people. Many of them were pious persons, while not a few were drawn by mere curiosity. Among the latter, on the occasion to which our story refers, was the girl from Kilmaluag. She had seen the sacrament of the Supper administered in Skye; she had heard preaching too, both on ordinary and on sacramental occasions; but she heard now what she had never heard before. She was struck with amazement. She had begun to discover what she was in the sight of the Holy One.

She returned home to her mother under deep conviction of sin, regarding herself as lost, and as being under the curse of God. But there was a hidden something within which led her to seek more and more of the truth, however awful her sense of misery was. Nay, further, although herself under a sense of condemnation, she would have her mother go to Dingwall next day along with her, and hear for herself what had so deeply impressed her. You would perhaps think that her mother would bless the Lord for what she should have regarded as encouraging the hope that her child would now prize the Physician of souls. Instead of that, not knowing herself what it was to be a sinner, she regarded all her daughter’s fears as groundless; she moreover feared that if her daughter was to go again to Dingwall to hear a sermon, she would be lost to her, or perhaps become crazy. She therefore made preparations for their return to Skye at once; and with the purpose, she replied to her daughter’s solicitations by saying,—“Janet, you don’t go to Dingwall tomorrow. You and I will stay at home to wash, and to prepare for our journey homeward on Monday.”

“Wash to-morrow?” said Janet; “no, no! Tomorrow is Sabbath. Neither you nor I should profane that day, and so break the fourth commandment.”

But to this exhortation Janet’s mother paid no regard. Sabbath found her engaged as she had purposed, and she would insist on her daughter joining her in the desecration of the Lord’s Day.

Janet at first earnestly pleaded with her mother to desist, but it was all to no purpose. She next pleaded for leave to go to Dingwall, but this request was peremptorily refused. The daughter then told her mother that, whatever the consequences might be, she must go to hear the Word of God, and proceeded to arrange her tonnag for that purpose. Seeing this, her wicked mother raised up both her hands, and with fearful oaths imprecated curses on her daughter’s head! She solemnly devoted her to Satan, and charged her at the same time to go away, and never be seen by her again.

Janet screamed bitterly, and ran out of their temporary place of abode. The people from that neighbourhood by that time had all moved away to Dingwall. Her first impulse was to go after them; but after proceeding some way, she felt herself so oppressed with a load of terror that she was compelled to rest.

“What is the use,” said she, “of my going to Dingwall? There is no hope for me. I am under the curse of God, and my own mother has devoted me to the enemy. I can never obtain deliverance. It is as well for me la turn and direct my steps some other way.”

And turn she did. But the Lord, who, unseen and unknown, had His eye on her, by His own Spirit suggested some recollection of a word she had heard—for read she could not. She turned again in the direction of Dingwall, and had proceeded some few steps, when the enemy, though formerly foiled, again returned to the assault. . Her former doubts came on with redoubled power, and she walked back again till something else occurred to her mind which prompted her to “hope against hope.” So again she proceeded in the direction of the place where the Gospel was

preached. Matters went on thus for the greater part of the forenoon—Janet sometimes progressing and again returning. She did reach the outskirts of the congregation at last. We do not know who the minister was who at that special time was speaking; but Janet heard him commending to his hearers the blood of the Cross-holding forth the efficiency of its application:—or the taking away of guilt, and the removal of a sense of condemnation. As if he had been specially directed to address Janet personally, she heard him say—“Should you be sensible of the

overwhelming load of the curse of God, and your mother’s curse along with that, you will find more than enough in this blood;—or the removal of both, and for rendering you righteous before God.”

Janet heard this. To her it was a word in season. It calmed the tempest within. She sat down at the feet of Christ, and heard with diligent attention. When the congregation was dismissed, all went either to their own homes or to the houses of friends, who showed their hospitality to them as strangers coming to the feast. But Janet had no house to go to; her mother had discarded her; and she might be ready to ask, “What am I to do now?” The Lord had, however, been graciously revealing Himself to her soul throughout the whole afternoon and evening of that day. Why, then, should she fear? Some person might be prompted to show kindness to her; and if not, it was summer, and she could remain outside for one night at least. She heard sermon intimated for next day, and she would wait for that before she would decide as to where to turn her steps. Still, who could doubt that, after all, poor Janet would feel something like a weight on her spirit, or rather be conscious of a blank which sadly needed filling up, when she saw the whole congregation gradually melting away, with none to speak a kind word to her?

But, stop! Who is this coming up, and approaching Janet M‘Leod with a kindly smile? This is Mary Bethune, now grown up to womanhood, grown in faith and knowledge, and in Christian experience. She is, moreover, largely acquainted with professing Christians throughout the whole country, and she has come to Dingwall, along with others, expecting a “feast of fat things: of wine on the lees well refined.” She and they have not been disappointed.

But now the appearance of a Skye girl has attracted her attention. Janet’s dress and manner are almost a new sight to her. She speaks to her, and is convinced by her first word that they are both natives of the same isle. Her kind inquiries draw out Janet’s heart all at once. The unvarnished tale is soon told: the harrowing horrors and the gracious consolation. The two are drawn to each other with an influence far more powerful than that of country and kindred. Jan et finds shelter with Mary where she is herself lodged.

From this day forward the two are inseparable. Mary conducts Janet to the domicile occupied by herself in the parish of Croy. They continue to sit together under the same minister, Rev James Calder, till the day of his removal to the Upper Sanctuary. After Mr. Calder’s death Mary and Janet found a place of residence, and a ministry which they relished as being profitable to their souls, in the parish of Nigg, in the county of Ross. Mr. M’Adam was then newly translated to that charge, after the parish had been long under the blight of a minister whose coldness had the effect of scattering the Lord’s flock, and of rendering the place of worship a desolation. Under Mr. M’Adam’s ministry those two godly women continued to sit while they lived, supporting themselves by the labour of their hands, respected in the place, and growing in ripeness for the abode of the just, till at the age of about 80 years, they were removed to the enjoyment of the communion of saints above, and the blessedness of uninterrupted fellowship with Him whom they loved so much below.

You may perhaps inquire whether Mary or Janet had any communication with their relatives in Skye? Communication by letter was not then so easy as it is now. Neither of them had learned to write, but Mary had communication with her parents through a namesake of her own, who was minister of Alness, in the county of Ross. She went once to her native place, and remained there for some time; but not having the privilege which she had found so delightful in the land of her adoption, she returned again to that district, and never afterwards visited the isle of Skye. But she and her companion never failed to wrestle together in prayer for the people in their native island; and I heard a godly minister in Skye, now departed (the late Rev. Roderick M‘Leod), give expression to the complacence he felt in connecting the spiritual influences in each of the parishes whence those women came with the continued and persevering entreaties which they were known to have laid at the foot of the Throne in behalf of their native district.

We can now get a glimpse of what the Lord had in view when He permitted His faithful servant Lady Grange to be transported to St. Kilda. We may learn, moreover, that a minister may be instrumental for good, while he himself may be denied the privilege of knowing that any good has been done. The minister under whom Mary Bethune’s whole soul was roused to seek after the knowledge of the Lord, never knew of the effects produced till Mary and he met beyond the grave. So there may have been fruit borne by Lady Grange’s example and conversation, which the Great Day alone shall reveal. I myself have traced out memories of persons (in lands fully as dark as St. Kilda was at the time of Lady Grange’s landing), memories which would lead me to believe that those persons were used of God to be lights in a dark place, living witnesses for the truth. Whatever measure, therefore, of light any of us may have, let it be manifested: and let the Lord do with us, and work by us, as to Him may seem meet. Only let us persevere in prayer unto the end. We may not have our prayers answered in our day, but let us rest assured that the prayer of faith God heareth; and God shall answer, how and when He pleases.

My story is now finished. If the recital may have the effect of stirring up any young person to follow on to know the Lord. I have my reward. If any person, young or old, be incited by the examples here related, to regard everything else as vile in comparison with the knowledge of Christ and Him crucified, I would earnestly bid him God-speed; let him press on till he know for himself this Saviour “who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification,” till he be “begotten again unto a lively hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”