When I started my apprenticeship as a cabinet maker, I never thought that it would lead to a life-long friendship with Mr. Albert McShane. He himself worked in the same place and was a first class tradesman with few equals. Shortly after getting to know him, he spoke to me about salvation and quoted the words of Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” Little did he know the effect his words had upon me that day, and while I didnt get saved until later, I never could get away from his words and the way in which they were spoken. At the age of thirty he joined Mr. William McCracken in full time service for the Lord, preaching with him for ten years and seeing many souls saved.
In 1955, Albert, as he was affectionately known by many, was joined by Mr. Alec Lyttle and for another nine years had fruitful times together.
In the autumn of 1964, he asked me to join Him at Whitehouse for an effort in the gospel. During those meetings he took sick and needed heart surgery from which he recovered. We thank the Lord for his recovery. He was ready for preaching again in early 1966. At that time the Lord had been exercising my heart about serving Him in the gospel, but I never thought about Mr. McShane asking me to join him. For almost fourteen years we labored together in halls, both permanent and portable, and in the tent, during which years we had fifty series of meetings with the joy of seeing many saved. It was a pleasure and an education to labor with our dear brother who was a most unselfish man.
His preaching was simple, yet weighty, and he was never given to lightness on the platform. He had a tremendous mind and the ability to make difficult passages sound simple. Few could equal his ability for handling Bible readings, and for many years he had one of the Bible readings at the Lurgan conference. Mr. McShane had a true shepherds heart. He loved the sheep because he loved the Shepherd, and times without number refreshed them with his ministry at conferences.
It is difficult to imagine assembly life in Northern Ireland without Him. Truly a great man and a prince has been taken from us, but we thank God upon every remembrance of him and are thankful also for the writings he has left us, as he also was a master with his pen. Enid, his dear partner has been left a lonely widow and it would be nice to remember her in prayer with her daughter, son and grandchildren.
