My Heart, My Life, My All

The Two Margarets: Because of their loyalty to Christ and refusal to bow to pressures form the political establishment, Margaret MacLachlan (1622?-1685) and Margaret Wilson (1667-1685) were condemned to be drowned by the tide. The former was 63, the latter 18. Despite urgent and incessant appeals to them to submit to their foes, they steadfastly refused. So Margaret MacLachlan was tied to a stake in deep water. The other Margaret was tied to stake farther inland. The authorities assumed that when Miss Wilson saw the older woman die, she would recant. As the tide was finally up to the chin of the senior martyr, the spectators could hear her saying: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God....” Before she could finish, the water had covered her and she was delivered from the sadism of Christ’s enemies.

When Margaret Wilson saw her die, she was not weakened in her resolve. Instead she said, “if God can give grace to an older woman to die, He can give grace to me.” And so it was. The tide came in, covered her, and she went home to heaven to see the King she loved more than life.

William MacDonald, My Heart, My Life, My All, Gospel Folio Press 1997, pp 87, 88