Herald of Mercy

Duncan Matheson was born at Huntly, in Aberdeenshire, on the 22nd of November, 1824. Duncan was one of 5 children born to faithful Christian parents who brought Duncan up to be faithful to God and not forsake the assembly of the brethren. Duncan’s uncle had a particular influence in his life. Duncan’s uncle George Cowie was known as a Dissenter because he stood against the churches formality and apathy during his time. George Cowie had a powerful ministry with much fruitfulness having the privilege to see many sinners turn to Christ. This was something that had a great impact on Duncan because his desire was to have the same if not greater impact for the kingdom as his Uncle had. Duncan come to faith in 1846 in the Autumn. Some accounts say October 26th while other say December 10th that aside it happened as he heard a message by Andrew Bonar on Psalms 11. He was convicted and sought a meeting with Pastor Bonar who spoke these words to him, “Young man, were I to say I am pleased with you, you would go down that stair in a happy frame, but you are yet far from the kingdom of God. You have never yet dealt with the justice of God. His justice in condemning you for breaking his law has never entered your thoughts. I see you are angry with God for not giving you salvation as the reward of works. But it must be grace from first to last.”(quote taken directly from The Word for Life) Shortly after Duncan put his faith in Christ and gave the rest of his life to a ministry serving Christ. He was first and for-most a preacher who had an overwhelming burden for the lost. But secondly and what has become his legacy was his tenacity to see biblical literature from tracts to magazines to bibles put into the hands of the lost so they would be challenged to know that they were sinners in the need of a saviour.