Obituary of Rev. John A. MacDonald
Received from: Helen Theimer - [email protected]
Rev.
John A. MacDonald Held
Many
Charges In His Career
The
Funeral of the Rev. John Alexander MacDonald, who died at his home, 97 Centre
Street, Kingston, on December 27, was held on Tuesday, December 31st
from Chalmers United Church, Kingston. The service was conducted by Rev. Dr.
George A. Brown, assisted by Principal H. A. Kent and Professor J. M. Shaw, both
of Queen’s Theological College. Interment will take make in the MacDonald
Cemetery in Ramsay Township in the spring.
Born At Rosebank
Mr.
MacDonald was the son of Lauchlin MacDonald and Margaret Smith. He was born on
September 15, 1861, at Rosebank, and attended the Almonte High School. He taught
for a time at the Scott schoolhouse near Pakenham. He then entered Queen's
University, from which he obtained the B. A. degree in 1888, and graduated in
theology in 1891. While still a student he already manifested the pioneering,
missionary zeal which was to characterize him throughout life. One summer he
was sent by Dr. James Robertson, the great Superintendent of Missions of the
Presbyterian Church to survey
the Kootenay Valley for the church and to conduct services wherever opportunity occurred. He always
afterward had the happiest recollection of Colonel, (afterwards Major General)
Steele, of North West Rebellion fame who was at the time stationed in the valley
in command of the Mounted Police, and who ordered all serving under him to aid
Mr. MacDonald in every way possible
On Mission Fields
After
his ordination in 1891 as a
minister of the Presbyterian Church he offered his services as a missionary to
the Indians. He was immediately appointed as the first missionary of the
Presbyterian Church to the Indians. He was sent to the Pacific coast where he
was stationed at Alberni. After a trip to Alaska to study the methods adopted at
the famous Metlakatla mission, he proceeded to adapt them to the problems of
Alberni. He studied the local language and reduced it to writing. He had
attended some courses in Medicine while at Queen's and so was able to help the
Indians with their simpler ills. It was a lasting regret to him that his health
broke after but two years of happy service and he was forced to resign and
return to the East.
When,
after a prolonged illness, his strength was restored he once more cast about for
the type of work which he enjoyed. The railway was under construction from the
Ottawa valley to Georgian Bay, and he was sent to Whitney to conduct services
among the construction gangs and residents of that neighborhood.
Holds
Many Charges
In
later years he ministered in churches at Pittsburg, Morton, Ramsayville, Gore
Bay, Bala, Calabogie, Kinmount and Coe Hill. Ever a missionary at heart he was
no sooner settled in a new charge than he would search out the little
communities of neglected folk, for them he would establish day Schools and
preaching services as opportunity provided.
Mr.
MacDonald loved to recall the fact that his ancestors from the Scottish
highlands loved the metric psalms sung by many
generations of his forbears. He loved
the history of Scotland. He loved his church. He loved the forgotten folk of
neighborhood. And whatever he loved, he gave himself to with a devotion which to
the end was finest quality.
He
was married in 1895 to Agnes Minnes, of Kingston, who deceased him in 1914.
Their children, Margaret, (Mrs. J. S. Prentice of Middlebury, Vermont), Nell T.
of Barrie, together with six grandchildren survive him, as do two brothers, Rev.
Wm. Peterborough, and George, who is Superintendent of Schools in Regina, and
two sisters, Jessie and Catherine of Medicine Hat, came east to be with him
during his last illness.
In
1916 he married Anne, daughter of Rev. John and Mrs. Fairlie of Kingston who
also survives him.
Posted: 24 April, 2005.