Kenneth Nicolson, Free Church minister

Published on Monday 1 February 2010 21:10

Born: 13 September, 1911 in Gravir, Lewis. Died: January 25, 2010 in Stornoway, Lewis, aged 98

THE Rev Kenneth John Nicolson knew from age 12 that he would become a minister and reached the pinnacle of achievement as Moderator of the Free Church General Assembly.

Even long after retiring, he preached into his 90s, his sermons always delivered from the heart and without aide-mmoire.

On the Isle of Lewis, where he was born and died, it was not unusual for the converted to trek ten to 15 miles overnight to prayer meeting. And one man, with a lifelong alcohol problem, walked from one end of the island to the other, across moors, to hear him preach, such was Nicolson's reputation. Yet for all the admiration he engendered, he was a quiet man, never overbearing about his belief.

Born in Gravir in the Park area of the island's South Lochs, the youngest of eight children of John and Margaret, he was named Kenneth John, or Coinneach Iain, after his brother Kenneth, who died of meningitis at the age of 14.

There was a 20-year age gap between the oldest and the youngest children and Kenneth John was only 12 when he lost his father. It was around that time that he was converted and from then on the ministry became his focus.

After attending Gravir Primary School, he went to the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway before graduating with an MA from Edinburgh University – a degree punctuated by a tortuous journey from island.

"The way to get there from Gravir was on foot across the hill to the village of Cromare and then by sailing boat from North Lochs to the other side of the sea," recalls his son, Ruaraidh. "Then he had to walk from there, which was a ten-mile walk, to Stornoway and get the boat to Kyle and then the train to Edinburgh."

His dedication paid off and he excelled in Greek and Hebrew, his expertise in the latter recalled at his funeral, which was held in Gaelic and English. After attending the Free Church College, he was inducted to Portree Free Church on Skye in 1944 where he stayed for 13 years.

He and Rhoda, a nurse, celebrated their diamond wedding in 2007, but it began with family tragedy when her brother was diagnosed with cancer. Returning from America with three weeks to live, he insisted the wedding go ahead. The only available day was Hogmanay and they were married in the Free North Church in Inverness. Rhoda's brother died two weeks later.

After Skye, MrNicolson served the remainder of his ministry in Barvas Free Church on the west coast of Lewis. He became Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland in 1976 and retired from Barvas in 1979. However, he continued to preach all over the island and stood in as a supply minister on the mainland when required.

"He was into his 90s and still preaching. I remember one day he came home and said he thought it was time he called it a day because he was just putting too much effort into it," says his son. "He never ever preached from written work, it was all verbatim. He just did what he was told by his Lord and Saviour".

A poet, he wrote numerous verses and songs, some dedicated to the spiritual revival in Garyvard, which he witnessed as a young man just before the Second World War. "If he was sitting beside you and you mentioned something that had happened that day, within 15 minutes he would have six verses made up about that happening," said Ruaraidh.

"There was a huge spiritual revival in the area and a lot of people converting and my dad was involved, going from house to house. To this day, it has left a fantastic legacy."

Mr Nicolson is survived by his wife Rhoda, their son Ruaraidh and daughter Peggy.