"There is still some peculiar fragrance in the air around Robert M'Cheyne's tomb."
WE now reach a time when all Dundee was saddened by the news that M'Cheyne was no more. In the diary occurs this entry: "Sabbath, 12th March 1843. Forenoon and afternoon at St. Peter's, Mr. M'Cheyne preached from Hebrews ix. 12,13: 'Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ,' &c.; and from Romans ix. 22, "What if God, willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.' These were the last texts from which he preached."
Two days after he was laid low with typhus fever. Who preached on the Sabbath immediately following, the diary does not tell us, but to one lamenting to M'Cheyne that he was unable to be in the pulpit that day the invalid said, "I am preaching the sermon that God would have me do." While the fever raged he prayed much, and this was one of his prayers: "This parish, Lord; this people, this whole place! Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given me."
On the morning of Saturday, the twenty fifth March, 1843, he passed away—only twenty-nine years of age. In the article of death his hands were uplifted as if pronouncing the benediction. Under this date Mr. Lamb has the following: "A day of sad mourning in St. Peter's parish, the Rev. Robert M'Cheyne having died this morning at half-past 9 o'clock, after 12 days' illness, of typhus fever. The whole parish is a 'Bochim,' and sorrow is depicted but too visibly in the countenances of those who knew him and sat in St. Peter's church. How strange are God's dealings! Those are taken whom we would think ought to have been left. This is a most solemn affliction to his people, and we need grace to bear it, and that it may be sanctified to us. In the evening there was a meeting in the church. The Rev. Andrew Bonar prayed and spoke a few words, and the whole assembly seemed bathed in tears, many sobbing aloud for grief. It was a sad sight, the saddest sight I have ever witnessed here. I looked often to the pulpit, and thought it is empty to-night: where is he now, who so often spoke from it, warning the careless, and comforting and edifying believers? He is gone before, and is near the throne, singing the song of Moses and the Lamb."
The next day. "Sabbath, 26th March. Rose at 7.30 o'clock. Dressed and devoted half-an-hour to secret reading and prayer. Felt much solemnized this morning, and was enabled to pray with much fulness. At St. Peter's; Andrew Bonar officiated. In the forenoon he preached from Romans viii. 38,39, 'For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, not things to come, nor height, nor death, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' The discourse was most suitable to us in the present afflicting circumstances, showing clearly that all those things could not separate us from the love of God, that is, take away God's love to believers in Christ Jesus. Mr. Bonar said he took these words as a ground of comfort to himself. Whatever changes take place here, God's love remains the same to His people—as the mountains stand round about Jerusalem, and always cast the same shadow on the Temple. He warned his hearers, however, that unconverted men might be separated from that love at any moment. He alluded to what Mr. M'Cheyne often said from the pulpit to the unconverted— that he would be a witness against them—and he added, that when he was very ill, and the fever laying firm hold of him, he prayed from them—the unconverted—and also for the people of God. In the afternoon Mr. Bonar preached from the same chapter, the 28th verse, 'And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.' Among other things he said that it is consoling to know that afflictions are needed to conform the children of God to the image of His Son: that those that are called are called to be sanctified as well as justified."
"Evening, at my Sabbath school. Departed from the lessons to-night, and read Mr. M'Cheyne's last year's address to the lambs of the flock, and spoke a few words with reference to the writer's death. May of the children wept, and I could not help mingling tears with my first prayers for these 'lambs' of the clock of our dear, departed pastor, who so carefully tended them and loved them. Oh that his prayers for them might be answered, even this night! I felt much enabled to pray earnestly for this.
"After closing the school I visited Miss C. and conducted family worship there.
"This has been the saddest Sabbath that has yet dawned on St. Peter's. Hitherto God seems to have smiled on this part of His vineyard, and blessed His servant's work much. To-day many, many entered His courts with the 'spirit of heaviness,' and felt as if God were hiding His face from them, chastening us sorely, though in love.
"Little did we think on the last Sabbath (12th March) that when Mr. M'Cheyne preached, and in his prayer several times at the end said, 'Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly,' that his prayer was so soon to be answered. He has entered upon the eternal Sabbath, the rest that remaineth for the people of God."
The following is an account of the services on the Sabbath after the funeral:-
"Sabbath, 2nd April, 1843. Long before the hour for worship the church was filled, and many of the congregation were shut out, so much that the Rev. Alexander Somerville of Glasgow was asked to preach in the churchyard. Mr. Roxburgh preached in the church from Philip. iii. 21.
Along with many others of the congregation I was outside, and joined in the worship there. Mr. Somerville, standing but a few paces from the new grave of our departed pastor, engaged in the usual way by praise and prayer, which, in the particular place and circumstances, I felt very solemn, more so than had I been inside. Mr. Somerville read I Cor. xv. (on the Resurrection), and preached from Rev. xv. 2,3.
"What a solemn meeting, thought I, surrounding the grave of our dear pastor, who but a few days since conducted our devotions! His voice is now silent on earth, and others fill his place. 'Frail man, his days are like the grass.' Mr. Somerville preached in the afternoon from Heb. iv. 14-16, a most suitable discourse, full of comfort, and warning to improve the solemn affliction aright.
"Alex. G. with me to tea, and accompanied me to Sabbath school. Read Mr. M'Cheyne's Reasons Why Children Should Flee to Christ, and spoke a short time urging that on them. A. G. also addressed them, and the older scholars seemed a good deal impressed. Oh that some may this night have fled to Jesus Christ!
"Called together at Miss C.'s, and remained to family worship with them, thus closing this solemn Sabbath."
The following extracts from the diary doubtless will also prove interesting to many, and with them we say farewell to Mr. Lamb's M.S. volumes, the perusal of which has been a source of great delight and profit to ourselves:-
"Tuesday, 4th April, 1843. Went to Edinburgh; called on Miss M'Cheyne to offer my condolence under the late severe affliction, the death of her worthy brother and my pastor; found he much composed and upheld; referred to the sacrifice she and her parents had made in consenting to leave his remains at St. Peter's, which had gratified us all so much, and would, I said, prove afterwards, though a sacrifice, a pleasing one even to themselves."
Later again in the year Mr. Lamb writes:-
"Was lad to meet Miss M'Cheyne there (at Blairgowrie), and had much pleasant conversation during the evening regarding St. Peter's parish, and here beloved brother, the late pastor. Though pleasant our meeting, it recalled past scenes which reminded me of him gone to his rest, and cast a pleasing melancholy over my whole thoughts, Such, thought I, is this earthly scene—all passing away—none abiding—and those we would most fondly keep here are often taken soonest away."
The following is the inscription on M'Cheyne's tomb:-
"Erected by His Sorrowing Flock
IN MEMORY OF
THE REV. ROBERT MURRAY M'CHEYNE
FIRST MINISTER OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH,
DUNDEE,WHO DIED ON THE 25th DAY OF MARCH,
MDCCCXLIII.,
IN THE THIRTIETH YEAR OF HIS AGE.
---
WALKING CLOSELY WITH GOD,
AN EXAMPLE OF THE BELIEVER IN WORD,
IN CONVERSATION, IN CHARITY, IN SPIRIT, IN FAITH,
IN PURITY,HE CEASED NOT
DAY AND NIGHT TO LABOUR AND WATCH FOR SOULS;
AND WAS HONOURED BY HIS LORD
TO DRAW MANY WANDERERS OUT OF DARKNESS
INTO THE PATH OF LIFE."---
"Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him."
His best monument is the splendid work he did for the Lord Jesus in the souls of men—a work which still influences the generations through the remarkable Memoir of him by his dear friend, Andrew Bonar; but, within recent years, there has been erected in Dundee a handsome church, named THE M'CHEYNE MEMORIAL, which along with ST. PETER'S, will help to keep green the memory of this saintly man for many years to come.