The 53-
Stornoway Free Church was packed for a wake on Thursday night and again for the funeral service on Friday afternoon with a video link set up to the adjacent church hall.
The town centre came to a standstill as many hundreds of men lined up in double file for a traditional Hebridean funeral procession after the service. In silence, the lengthy cortege weaved its way through the residential streets of the town, each man taking a lift of the coffin prior to burial at Sandwick cemetery.
Rev James Maciver, minister of Stornoway Free Church, who led the funeral service, said Dr Campbell will be “greatly missed.”
Mr Maciver said he was “eminently gifted -
His preaching was “always eloquent, Christ-
“His loss is greatly felt by the presbytery here, the wider Free Church, other denominations, and by many, many other people and communities across the country and even abroad because he was an accomplished speaker at conferences,” he said.
Mr Maciver highlighted his “sudden death numbed the Western Isles Free Presbytery, and the tremors from the shock extended through the Free Church and well beyond. Such was his fitness, vigour and drive that none could have expected his demise at 53 years of age.”
A Free Church spokesman said: “The entire Free Church and many others worldwide are
still trying to come to terms with the loss of one of our best-
“We continue to pray for his family in their indescribable pain, as well as his congregation, friends and colleagues.”
Dr Campbell was an expert on church history and renowned author of many books.
He served as moderator of the Free Church in 2012.
In addition, he was vice-
The popular minister was also pastor of Point Free Church and of the nearby Knock Free Church, recently successfully focusing on the reunification of the congregations which split half century ago over an internal rift.
Dr Campbell is survived by his wife Anne, their sons Iain and Stephen, and daughter Emily as well as his mother Lily and his sisters, Margaret and Alma.
Thousands of mourners have been paying their last respects to the Rev Dr Iain D Campbell who died on Saturday.
Thousands pay last respects to eminent preacher
3 February 2017