The Bulwark Magazine of the Scottish Reformation Society
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The Bulwark Magazine of the Scottish Reformation Society OCT - DEC 2012 // £1 October - December 2012 1 The Bulwark The Gospel in Magazine of the Scottish Reformation Society The Magdalen Chapel 41 Cowgate, Edinburgh, EH1 1JR Tel: 013 1220 1450 Caithness: Part 2 Email: [email protected] www.scottishreformationsociety.org.uk Registered charity: SC007755 John Smith Chairman Committee Members The previous article outlined the progress of the gospel in the Far North from the » Rev Dr S James Millar » Mr Norman Fleming Reformation until the times of revival under the preaching of Rev. Alexander Gunn of Vice-chairman » Watten in the nineteenth century. In this second part we look at the contribution of » Rev Maurice Roberts Rev John J Murray some other prominent Caithness ministers during the nineteenth century. » Rev Kenneth Macdonald Secretary » Rev Douglas Somerset » Mr James Dickson Treasurer » Mr Allan McCulloch I. JOHN MUNRO OF HALKIRK had an unshakeable assurance of faith, » Rev Andrew Coghill (1768-1847) founded upon his view of Christ as “He who had never lost, and never would lose a John Munro was born in the parish of battle”. On one occasion, John Munro was CO-OPERATION OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY Kiltearn in Ross-shire and was the great discussing the nature of saving faith with Rev In pursuance of its objects, the Society may co- (a) To propagate the evangelical Protestant grandson of John Munro “Caird”, the friend W. R. Taylor, a learned theologian who easily faith and those principles held in common by operate with Churches and with other Societies those Churches and organisations adhering to of Thomas Hog the Covenanter. John won the argument. Mr Munro responded, whose objects are in harmony with its own. the Reformation; Munro worked as a joiner in Aberdeen for “Well, you may be able better to define many years before he became a minister. faith but you cannot believe better than I (b) To diffuse sound and Scriptural teaching on He was a friendly and unassuming man “of can!” He endeared himself to Christians all Magazine Editor: Rev Douglas Somerset the distinctive tenets of Protestantism and portly figure, fair complexioned and with a over the Highlands for his frankness and his All literary contributions, books for review and Roman Catholicism; countenance beaming with benevolence”. straightforward, unaffected manner. papers, should be sent to: (c) To carry on missionary work among His positive outlook on life is exemplified The Magdalen Chapel adherents of the latter faith with a view to by the occasion when he was warned William Crowe wrote of John Munro in his winning them to the doctrines of grace and to 41 Cowgate, Edinburgh by one of his elders that the cold and wet poem The Fathers of Caithness, the fellowship of the true Gospel; EH1 1JR weather would make it impossible to hold (d) To produce and distribute evangelistic, the outdoor Gaelic communion service. “No Dwelling in Beulah and sure of the crown, religious and other literature in connection with Donald,” he declared, “It will be a good day: This noble of Judah was seldom cast down; The views expressed in articles are those of the promotion of the Protestant religion; what the Lord gives will be good. Many a The theme of his song was the sacred decree, the contributor and may not necessarily reflect good day he gave us, and He will give us a The covenant of grace and the choice apple tree. those of the Editor or the Committee of the (e) To promote the associating together of men and women, and especially young people, good eternity.” Society. Scriptural references are from the A.V. for systematic Bible Study and holding of Though less scholarly than Mr Gunn except where stated otherwise. meetings for the above specified purposes. Alexander Auld records that “the most of Watten, John Munro had a natural distinguishing feature of Mr Munro’s eloquence and an ability to enlarge ‘off the DESIGNED & PRINTED BY: character was his large and loving heart. cuff’ on any given portion of Scripture. He His affections flowed out plentifully in every had a deep affection for the people of God appointed and appropriate channel”. He and often concluded the Monday service of www.visionsolutionsni.co.uk Tel: 028 9073 1841 2 The Bulwark October - December 2012 3 Halkirk in the nineteenth century The ruins of the Free Church in Shebster where Finlay Cook ministered after 1843 a communion with the words, “Fit us for the preacher at an open air service when an with the anxious, he nevertheless instantly obviously the simple, unadorned ‘earthen place where no foe enters, where no friend arrow from the King’s bow pieced his heart. saw through pretence and hypocrisy and vessel’ in which, for the fuller manifestation departs and where the word ‘farewell’ shall He soon afterwards determined to enter the responded to it forcefully. of the Divine Power, the treasure was never be heard”. He once wrote, “Christ, ministry. Mr Cook had “remarkable eyes, deposited. He began a sermon by giving “little with reverence be it said, is the Father’s black and brilliant, giving unmistakeable He once said, “The people of God may feel more than a bald, uninteresting statement of compliments to a lost world”. In 1843, the evidence of intelligence and thought”. The as cold and hard as iron, but their souls will Gospel truisms ... at last, however, he was evangelical laird, Sir George Sinclair, sent a simplicity and force of his sentences made never lose the mould they got in the fire of borne onward not by anything in himself letter to Mr Munro to tell him that he could them seem like proverbs. redeeming love. The Christian has to face but exclusively by his subject. His hearers at not bring himself to leave the Established many trials, but the severest trial for a child once participated in the heavenly influence. Church. He said to the courier, “Well, tell Sir “He did not mince matters to his people, of God is when God’s Word becomes to Their minds were both roused and arrested; George that I am going to heaven, and let but spoke to them candidly of their faults, him a wilderness, the Sabbath a wilderness, every eye was directed to him, whilst the him be sure to follow me there”. always with the voice of a Christian, and love yea, your prayers may be burning you, your deep anxiety depicted on the countenances for their souls was always the predominant profession stoning you, and nothing left of betokened the entrance of his words, as II. FINLAY COOK OF REAY (1778-1858) desire of his heart”. “His sense of the Divine all your enjoyments but a heap of ashes. ‘words of fire’ into their inmost souls”. authority and of the absorbing importance Nevertheless, it is out of that heap of ashes Finlay Cook, a native of Arran, became of the things unseen and eternal, made that a door of hope will be opened to your Though he had a great affinity with the young minister of Reay in 1835. He was an him comparatively regardless of the things soul. ‘They shall call on my name, and I will and loved nothing better than to officiate at a eloquent Gaelic preacher, and as that tongue seen and temporal, and estimate very lightly predominated in much of Caithness in those the opinions of ungodly men or formal hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they marriage, Mr Cook never went to a wedding days, his gifts were put to good use. In his professors”. Mr Cook applied the Truth to shall say, The Lord is my God’.” reception because, as he put it, “People youth, Finlay was frivolous and thoughtless every person present, whatever their spiritual who go into the mill get dust on their coats”. and he was in the very act of mocking a condition. Particularly sensitive in dealing In his book Memorabilia Domestica, Rev Yet there was no pride in Mr Cook. He once Donald Sage recalled of Mr Cook, “He was suggested that he had experienced so many 4 The Bulwark October - December 2012 5 trials in life because he was “the greatest of Heaven’s Jewels by Norman Campbell. the Lord from his childhood. When helping tribute to his memory, desire to give all the sinner in Caithness”. Rev Alexander Auld Archibald Cook was a man of “slim figure his father in the barn, John used to ask him glory to Him to whom it pertains”. responded, “The people of Caithness don’t and shrinking manner” who “impressed one such profound questions about Christian think so”. Mr. Cook replied, “No, because with the conviction that he realised the eye experience that the worthy man had to V. WALTER ROss TAYLOR OF THURSO there is a veil over it”. of omniscience”. His hearers were deeply go outside to avoid the embarrassment (1805-97) affected by the reality of that truth. Mr Cook’s of the boy seeing the tears in his eyes. On one occasion Finlay Cook was preaching searching insights into the unbeliever’s heart John Sinclair was a teacher for more than The Taylor family, who hailed from Tain, had at Wick. The more sophisticated members offended many enemies of the Gospel who a decade. Having been appointed parish remarkable ability in the legal profession. of the congregation, who thought that the mocked and derided him. schoolmaster of South Ronaldsay in Orkney, Walter’s father was Sheriff Clerk of Reay minister was old-fashioned and far too he began a Sabbath school and as well as Cromartyshire and most of his relatives serious, started to leave during the opening On the other hand the Lord’s people highly the children, numerous adults attended each also held important legal posts throughout psalm.