The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1906-12-07
DONALD MCRAE
Died at His Old Home In Glen
gary, Ontario.

Many citizens OF BOtt1neau
from 1895 to 1898 will remem-
Der Donald McRea, and his
daughters, Mary, Edith, Eliza
and Donella, and will regret to
learn of the death of Mr.. Nc
Rae, which occurred at his old
home in Glengary, Ontario,
about month ago.
While here Mr.. McRae was
choir master of the Presbyter-
church, and the whole family
were noted as singers and mu-
sicians of rare ability. "a
A late issue of the Winnipeg
Free Press has to say of him:
In the person of Donald Nc
Rae, who died on Sunday at
the residence of his son-in-law,
A. G. Macarthur, 1O3 Ross av-
enue, there passed away the
man who inspired the charact-
er of the precentor in Ralph
Connor famous novel, The
man from Glengary." In fact
he was more than the object
which inspired the author, as
Ralph Connor says that every
word in the description of
John Aleck" and his wonder
full voice was nothing more
than a truthful description of
Donald Aleck McRae over
whose remains Rev. G.. w.
Gordon (Ralph Connor) read
the solemn funeral service on
Monday afternoon.
Donald McRae's voice has
been listened to in the fervor
of religious enthusiasm by
thousands, while many thous-
ands more have heard that
voice in Imagination as they
read the vivid description of the
author, as he told of the early
days and doings in his fathers
church in Indian Lands, Glen
gary, and they felt the thrill of
the stains Of odd Hundred
as they-ssread the pages that
made Ralph Connor famous.
And Ralph Connor has a large
audience to speak to with the
strokes of his pen.
The McRaes were a large and
important family in the district
of Indian Lands, Glengary, the
district in which Ralph Connor
was a minister for twenty years.
1t was there that he was born
and lived until he was eleven
years of age. There is a block
of Scotch people there and the
McRaes are a large family who
go a long way toward making
up this block. The particular
branch to which Donald be-
longed was associated with the
Sinclairs, another large and inn
portant family in the district,
and it was into this family that
Donald married.
Both families were musical
ly inclined, and Donald became
the teacher of singing in all
that district. They were all
farmers and the long evenings
were spent in singing. Sing
ing parties were held in the
houses of the neighbors and a
larger singing school was held
in the church. On winter
nights the whole community
would turn out.
That was at the time of the
discussion as to whether in
strumental music should be
admitted into the service of the
Presbyterian church. The pas
tor was opposed to it, and
strenuously talked against it.
One day one of those who fa-
vored the instruments in the
church came and heard the
congregation sing. Well,
Mr.. Gordon" he said, IT don't
wonder you oppose the organ,
but is it not unfair of you, with
such singing to take such a
decided stand against it? If
we all could get such music
the question of the organ in
the church would never be sug-
gested.
McRae left Glengary and
since toured western Canada,
the United States, and he held
important positions in many
churches, including Knox at
Toronto, and Knox at Gait, and
Bottineau. Because of his
singing and his qualities as a
leader he joined an evangelist,
and really did very fine service.
His voice developed sweetness
as we'll as strength, and was a
powerful rotund baritone. He
gave his services freely to the
church and a great many Man