Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 6, 1898

THE CELTIC MONTIIEY:
4 MAGAZINE FOll HICxHLANDEl^S.
Edited by JOHN MACKAY, Glasgow.
No. 1. Vol. VI.]
OCTOBER. 1897.
[Price Threepence.
GEORGE LESLIE MACKAY, D.D.,
FORMOSA, JAPAN.
1^1=^, WO hundred and fit'ty
VfiJ year,s ago, when the
■ ' ^=? principle of religious
freedom excited the fanatic-
ism of the Catholic nation.s
of Europe, the Clan Mac-
kay seized claymore and
targe, and under the com-
mand of their gallant chief,
Donald, afterwards first Lord Eeay, crossed
civer to the Continent, and for thirty long years
performed deeds of valour in support of the Pro-
testant cause which have never been surpassed
in the annals of warfare, a thrilling account of
which may be read in John Mackay (Ben Reay's)
" An Old Scots Brigade." In the.se degenerate
days the " Soldiers of the Cross " no longer
wage war with pike and claymore, but arnjed
witli a cop3' of the holy scriptures, and inspired
with an enthusiasm which no hardship or deaths
terror can subdue, the missionary clansman,
like his early Celtic brethren from lona, wanders
into distant and savage lands preaching the
gospel of peace and redemption. Notable among
this missionary band was that noble young
clansman, the late Alexander M, Mackay of
Uganda, the story of whose labours in "Darkest
Africa " thrilled his countrymen, and showed
that the famous northern clan could still boast
of its heroes. To-day, in " Far Farmo.sa " an-
other christian soldier, the Rev. George Leslie
]Mackay, D.D , is carrying on a noble work
among the heathen tribes of that beautiful but
distressful island. He chose the path that led
to the post of greatest danger, and devoted his
life to the work which he had taken in hand.
His life-story is replete with interest, but it is
nut (lur intention at present to do more than
tciuch upon it very briefly — our desire is rather
to induce our readers to procure a copy of that
ilelightful volume, "From Far Formosa," in
which Dr. Mackay has given an account of his
labours among the Forrnosans
Dr. Mackay is descended from the Mackays
of the far north. His grandfather was a soldier
and fought at Waterloo. His father, George
Mackay, was born near Em bo, Sutherlandshire ;
his mother, Helen Sutherland, at Dornoch.
They were evicted from their holding, and
emigrated to upper Canada in 1830. At Zorra,
a purely Highland settlement, they built a hut
in the dark primeval forest, and thei'e reared a
family of six children. They were poor but
God-fearing Highland people, and the earnest
piety of the parents had a lasting iotluence on
our young clansman, whose earliest ambition
was to consecrate his life to missionary work.
From these home influences George ATackay
passed to the preparatory colleges of Toronto
and Princetown, but it was only after a weary
delay that the Canadian Presbyterian Chureli
decided to send him to China as their first for-
eign missionary. Formosa was selected by him
as his field of work, and here he has labouied
with marvellous success for over a quarter of a
century. His early experiences among the
idolatrous tribes were enough to daunt the
heart of any but the bra% est. He learned the
native language in fi\e months, and then openly
addressed the people. He carried his life in his
hands, the authorities even conspiring to secure
his assassination, his churches were torn down to
the foundations and his students put to shameful
deaths, he was savagely attacked on many
occasions, and has passed frequent exciting
nights in his mission home with thousands of
heathen fanatics outside shouting for his Ijlood.
Nothing daunted, however, he faced his per-
secutors fearlessly, giving surgical a'd to the
suflering and showing kindness to all, and in
this way "raduallv uuide e\ en his worst enemies