The Happy Man

As the Preacher mounted the pulpit of the Old Parish Church of St Nicholas, Aberdeen a half suppressed titter drifted through the packed congregation. He certainly did not look like any other Preacher they had ever seen, wearing a rough home spun suit and long shaggy hair. But the moment he spoke a unusual stillness settled over the audience and any thought of mocking evaporated. He preached on a text from the final book of divine writ - "Behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." The majority of the sermon that followed was, not an exposition, but a parable related in the style of the poet, he was.

At the conclusion of the service the people were so moved it is said there were at least six hundred seeking salvation and peace from the one who stood knocking at their hearts door. * For a fuller text of his sermon see "The Happy Man" p238 - (Ian Murry -Published by Banner of Truth).

Lachlan MacKenzie was at the height of his fame as a Highland Evangelistic during this visit to Aberdeen. Born in 1754 at Knockbain in Easter Ross, Lachlan's parents were both believers. Lachlan MacKenzie was brought in a revival atmosphere following an "awakening" in the district in 1744. Churches such as Kilmuir, Alness and Ferintosh were in the grip of spiritual renewal and power. Lachlan himself, was reportidly "brought to a knowledge of Christ" at the tender age of eight and took part in public prayer when thirteen. He subsequently became school master in Applecross, moving to Lochcarron in 1776. There he initiated a prayer meeting against the better judgement of the parish Minister who also attempted to disuade him when he revealed his intention on entering the ministry.

Dispite opposition Lachlan MacKenzie was licensed to preach on October 1780 and as a result of the removal of the local incubant settled as minister in Lochcarron, where he remained until his death some 37 years later.

Although he was a scholar of Hebrew and Latin Lachlan MacKenzie prepared for his preaching in a way that every child in Lochcarron could understand him. His illustrations were also simple and taken from the everyday life and natural word where which his hearers were familiar.

Although the instrument of revival in his own generation there remains no single account of these days. Mention is made occasionally in contemporary documents but there is nothing of substance to refer to. Mention is made on one occasion to "thousands" being present at a communion service. Given that the total adult population on Lochcarron in 1811 was 879 it is obvious that, as was the fact elsewhere in the Highlands and Islands, many travelled great distances to attend these celebrarery events.

On one such occasion blind Donald Munro the evangelist from Skye travelled to Lochcarron for just such an event led presided over by Lachlan MacKenzie. As was the normal practice the men slept in one barn while the women slept in another. A stranger, visiting the communion, was also given a bed in the large barn. During the night the man was wakened by shouts of "awake, awake". The same voice in the darkness then called for the singing of a Psalm followed by prayers "with all upon their knees". A large portion of scripture was then read followed by a "powerful explosion" with more scriptural references. The stranger was amazed, learning later no doubt that the darkness of the night meant nothing to blind Donald. Not only was the stranger amazed at these proceedings but according to the documented report, soundly converted.

It was also during a communion service in Lochcarron that the legendry "Muckle Kate" publicly proclaimed her faith. Kate, then about 80 years of age is reported to have "been guilty of every crime in the law of God except murder."

Lachlan MacKenzie, failing to have any effect on Kate's lifestyle composed a Gaelic song which enumerated and condemned all Kate's known sins. "Mr Lachlan" set the words to music, taught some of Kate's ceilidh companions the song and told them to sing it in her hearing at the first opportunity. This had the desired effect and Kates subsequently went through a period of deep "conviction of sin" accompanied by bitter weeping and walking. (Today MacKenzie would have run the risk of imprisonment for mental and physiological torture!) Months subsequently passed and Kate is reputed to have lost her sight as a result of her weeping.

Three years passed, by which time Lachlan MacKenzie prevailed upon her to "sit at the Lord's table". She refused. The day of communion finally arrived but Kate was absent. At the conclusion of the service, the element all have been cleared from the tables, and as the vast congregation waited for the final address they heard the loud shriek of a female voice. Hundreds stood to their feet to see what had happened. Lachlan MacKenzie pushed through the crowd to where Kate was, took her by the hand, led her through the vast assembly to the communion table and sat her at the head. He ordered that the elements be brought forward and placed on the table; sitting alone there amongst thousands - with every eye turned in wonder upon her Kate partook of the emblems of the broken body and blood of Jesus. Following that event she lived for a further 3 years "manifesting the marks of a close and humble walk with God."

That Lachlan MacKenzie was also reveared as a Prophet by his own people is beyond doubt. Church historian Dr Donald MacLean, himself a native of Lochcarron wrote "That he uttered predictions is as unquestionably true as that some of them had startling fulfilment." It is said that Eneas Sage a previous minister at Lochcarron was also reveared as a Prophet. Sage however, denied that he possessed the Prophetic gift. However, Lachlan MacKenzie is not known to have made such a denial. Although subsequent historians attempt, as is very often the case, to place their own dogma on the lives of reveared men of the past there is in fact no evidence to prove that Lachlan MacKenzie denied the presence and validity of the Prophetic gift.

MacKenzie may have been sceptical of other penticostal gifts. It is reported that he was once approached by a Skye woman who asserted that she enjoyed the pentecostal gift of tongues. MacKenzie is reported to have challenged her to speak in Greek or Hebrew. Although such an answer might satisfy some today, to others it maybe more indicitive of an ignorance or misunderstanding of the nature of the gift. Be that as it may Lachlan obviously had no such hang up's with Prophetic utterances. MacKenzie prophisied that, as a sign of the validity of the faith he preached, following his death, two trees, of a variety, hitherto alien to Lochcarron, would grow up on either side of the pulpit from which he preached. He further stated that when these trees grew their branches would become entwined and the trees eventually fall to the ground as a sign that the apostasy of the latter day had begun!

All this did in fact occur after his death. In 1930 it was reported that "They fell over on the ground where they lie in a decaying condition, but still there".

Shortly before his death Lachlan prophisied that his successor would be "a dumb dog that would not back". This too was proved correct.

Lachlan was once upbraided by another minister for preaching in home spun clothes instead of clerical garb. He replied "better a homespun suit and a good sermon that good suit and a cheap sermon!"

Lachlans quick tongue and wit were to get him in to trouble on more than one occasion. After a particular induction service he was heard to say that "There would be streets in hell paved with the heads of graceless ministers." Upbraged by an Evangelical companion for his use of such language and asked what he had to say Lachlan replied "Nothing, but take good care that your own big head won't be in it!"

On another occasion, being late for a Presbytery meeting the "moderate" Moderator of assembly exclaimed in impatience (in Gaelic) "Have you arrived, long legged Lachlan?" MacKenzie replied "Is that you, the fool of the Presbytery?" This comment resulted in much ado MacKenzie later being called to account for calling a brother minister a fool. Duncan replied "He who created my legs is he who created all things; and he himself pronounced it was very good, and none but a fool would find fault with anything he did create!" Such an answer left his opponents non-plussed and the matter was dropped.

 Lachlans opposition to the clearances also brought him in to sharp confliction with the establishment and he was threatened with legal action because of his outspoken critisim of the practice from his pulpit. Such threats, however, had little or no effect.

When Lachlan was requested to write for Sir John Sinclair’s Statistical Account he replied in verse. Sir John was so taken with the reply that he subsequently read it before the House of Commons. In one verse he gives the following account of himself:-

Such was the living testimony of a man with little of the worlds treasure, but one whose life was filled with true happiness and joy.

The testimony of the Rev. John MacDonald (The Apostle of the North) in 1816 following a visit to Lochcarron was as follows:-

Another who was acquainted with him describes him as - "A man of genius, but of great eccentricity, and distinguished as one of the most eminelty pious ministers of his day."

Lachlan MacKenzie died on 20th April, 1819 aged 66 years.