Remembering Mac Laurie, Elder

Mac Laurie, as his son Craig wrote a year ago in an email, "joined the Church Triumphant on November 12, 2022." I think of him often. He was a mentor and elder to many in his years of service to the Lord. Also he was a dear and trusted friend, my elder, and co-elder with whom I served. Mac was 97 years old when he died and had served as an elder in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church for over 50 years. You can read David Winslow's Memoriam for Mac in the December 2022 issue of New Horizon's Magazine on page 21 here.

 

I miss Mac. The Church misses Mac. And I say that because an elder is what he was, i.e. a faithful shepherd of the Lord's flock. He looked after the souls of those not only "officially" in his congregation but also of many other Christians he came to know and love over the years. 

Soon after my wife and I began attending El Camino OPC in 2010 we joined in with the Sunday school class that Mac was teaching. We were not yet members and were taking things slow. One particular Sunday Mac's class concerned the topic of God's Law. I don't remember any comment I may have offered as we discussed the topic, but it apparently registered a concern with Mac. Later that afternoon he showed up at our home. Here's what I wrote to him years later, a few weeks before his death about that incident:

I have contemplated the prospect of your going home to the Lord more than a few times this past year. After all, you had already been blessed with many years beyond the "allotted" three score and ten. One memory that kept popping up was of you coming to visit for the first time, on a Sunday after church. Barb and I had just started attending El Camino. You had led a Sunday school class in which the topic of the Law had been discussed. Concerned about my understanding of how to think on the matter, you showed up unannounced with something written by Robert Godfrey for my consideration and help. Well, only true shepherds of the Lord's sheep do that kind of thing. I knew then I had a true shepherd for an elder; an elder who became a much beloved friend.

We weren't yet members but Mac was caring for our souls, two of Christ's sheep. Shepherds do that. That incident brought to mind a quote from the 16th century Reformer Martin Bucer:

Those who are ordained to the care of souls and pastoral ministry in the church are to serve our Lord Jesus, the chief Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, in his lambs, that is, all those elected to life, in such a way that through their minsitry everything is shown and provided that our Lord has promised in his office of Shepherd. This involves being concerned and through the word of God providing that Christ's lambs, who are still straying from his flock and sheep-pen, should be gathered in... [Barb and I were not yet sheep of the fold at El Camino] - (Concerning The True Care of Souls by Martin Bucer, p 69)

Over the next 12 years Mac and I had many conversations about many things such as the gospel of Christ, understanding the meaning of the law in various parts of the Bible, and covenantal theology. He impressed me with how deeply he cared about the truth of scripture in order to better safeguard the church from error and by his willingness to adjust his understanding when convinced to do so by God's Word. Always a learner, a disciple of Christ. 

Even in his last year of life, six years after retiring from the El Camino OPC session and having moved over to the PCA, Mac was still involved, fighting battles for truth in Christ's church. Competing overtures over controversial issues regarding the qualifications for ordained ministers were being considered for the upcoming General Assembly. Mac shared with me his closing thoughts over these matters from an email he sent early in 2022 to a PCA pastor:

Dark days in the PCA, indeed, and destined to become darker, I fear. I find myself resentful that God has placed me in them. My heart cries "you've fought enough battles; you deserve to live out your remaining days free of strife." I'm not looking very good according to measure penned by Watts in his "Am I a Soldier of the Cross?"

Transparent and always ready to consider his inadequacy as a servant... When I read those words of his I thought, "no Mac... clear evidence you are indeed looking very good."

My sweetest memories are of the many times over the years that Mac, my wife and I got together for fellowship, discussions and prayer concerning our loved ones and Christ's Church. This became a regular part of our friendship. Most cherished was how Mac, in closing our times together and with pillows on the floor along side the sofa, would say,

"To our knees!"

 ... leading us into prayer.

Heavenly Father, we offer thanksgiving for Elder Mac Laurie who has departed this life in the certain hope of the resurrection. Amen.

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A post by Mac Laurie on The World's Ruined:  Forsaken? More Thoughts on Abhorring and Loving The Sinner - Part 5