Richard Cameron’S the House, and in Leading Family Worship Conversion to Christ
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Richard listened to the earnest and direct offered a job as a chaplain to a noble family preaching of a faithful preacher called who lived near the border with England. John Welwood. He became firm friends There were no children here to teach with the young minister. It could be that but he would have still been involved in it was Welwood’s preaching of the gospel teaching the Bible to those who lived in which was used in Richard Cameron’s the house, and in leading family worship conversion to Christ. because Sir William Scot was often elsewhere on important business. YOUNG STANDING FIRM The local minister was shocked by Richard Richard was still able to write letters attending these meetings. He was not to John Welwood and had great someone who stood out against the encouragement from him. In one letter BULWARK way the government were changing the Welwood wrote: “you have the honour to church. He liked Richard and was very be persecuted for righteousness sake”, pleased with the work that he did. He but he told him to be careful because tried to persuade him to stop going to “there may be several trials” ahead for the meetings. This did not work so he him. But he told him to trust in God. got several other ministers to speak to “If you keep near Him, all is well”. God RICHARD Richard. But he still would not change his would never change no matter if others mind. Richard must have known that he did. “God will never fail you. He will be CAMERON would get into trouble and could lose his with you, as long as you are with Him.” job but that was not the most important Richard needed that good advice because thing to him. He and his family had heard another test was coming, and it was not Richard Cameron went to university at in houses and in the fields instead. a message in the field meetings that going to be easy. the age of 14. When he finished, he came At first there were not many of these they could not get elsewhere. They had back home to live with his family as the meetings in Fife but more began to heard the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, ANOTHER TEST schoolteacher in the town of Falkland in be held around the time that Richard the free promise of forgiveness of sins The government were brutal and severe Fife. It was an important job in a small began to teach. Soon it became one of and eternal life through trusting in the in their persecution. But they also town. In those days, schools were closely the areas in Scotland where there were Saviour alone. thought of cunning ways to try to cause connected with the parish church and lots of meetings. Many were in the area divisions amongst those ministers whom the teacher helped the minister with around the town in which Richard lived. They could not abandon the meetings they had forced out of the Church. Some things related to the church. For a short Thousands of people went, rich and poor. therefore, not even when there was severe ministers were told that they would be while he also led the congregation in But many were arrested and punished persecution in Fife. Richard was waiting allowed back into the churches as long singing psalms in the church, since the just for going to them. for the summons to appear in court. And as they agreed to obey the government. Scottish Church never used organs or it came. Richard and his family, together Some felt the pressure and decided to other instruments. At school the younger Richard went to hear the faithful with many others in the town were accept. They were ministers who believed children learned reading, writing, and ministers preaching at the field meetings summoned to appear in court because the right things according to the Bible. maths. Some of the older children learned together with many others. He had an they had stopped going to the parish They were not going to be forced to Latin and other advanced subjects. important job and it was even more church. They were charged with going to preach what was wrong. But they were noticeable to others that someone like preaching meetings in a local house and being told that there were things they ATTENDING FIELD PREACHING Richard went to these meetings. It could for going to field meetings. They were could not do. It was still a case of the But this was a time of great trouble in cost him a lot because the meetings were probably fined a lot of money for this. government controlling the Church, which the Church. The faithful ministers had against the law and the preachers were was not right. Only Christ is the Head been forced out of their churches by condemned by the government as traitors Richard had to give up his job and move of the Church and He has said how his the government. They had to preach and rebels. with his family to Edinburgh. He was Church should be ruled. It is wrong to 24 The Bulwark October - December 2019 25 allow governments to control the Church, south of Scotland. But he felt it was caught up with Cameron and because Christ is its only king. important to warn people about going 62 of his followers. Cameron FOR CROWN to listen to the ministers who had made and his friends got ready to AND COVENANT People had a difficult choice. Was it right or an agreement with the government. defend themselves because wrong to listen to these ministers who had Others did not like this, even some of they knew they would not given into the government? Had they been those who were preaching in the fields. be treated well. Cameron How long will we be forgotten? unfaithful to the Lord Jesus Christ? Richard They told Richard that he should stop. It prayed, ‘Lord, spare the green How long will our graves be trodden upon Cameron thought deeply about this and he was another difficult time for him, and and take the ripe’. He was And our meeting places left to ruin? decided it would be wrong to listen to such it seemed best to go to Holland to see ready to die; he was ripe for Our history, carved into stone, is eroding ministers. The problem was that Sir William some of the faithful ministers who had heaven. He and the others And our legacy, written in blood, is fading. Scot and Lady Scot sometimes went to been banished from Scotland by the fought valiantly but they were Our persecutors are honoured as we lie in the earth. hear one of them. One day Richard had to government. They welcomed him and overcome, and most were go along with them to church. He walked gave him good advice. When he came killed. Richard Cameron was Some, in pieces where they left us after along with them. What was Richard going back to Scotland, he found that many among them. We were hanged and hunted, Drowned and drawn. to do? Would he go into the church? of those who had been preaching in the Living in fear under oppression from the earthly They got to the door and Richard said fields were finding it too dangerous. Only Richard Cameron was bold. crown because that he could not go in and left. Next day a few continued. So, Cameron joined He was fearless in the trials We believe in a heavenly King. he had to answer for what he had done. them. 3,000 people came to hear God’s he faced. You might not face We bear his name as he bore our punishment. He explained why he believed it would Word preached the first time. The next the same kinds of difficult On our flag our cause was embroidered in gold: be wrong to listen to such ministers. Lord’s Day, even more people came to choices. But we all face the FOR CHRIST’S CROWN AND COVENANT, His employers were not pleased, and he hear. Even though his life was in danger, choice of serving the Lord And it was stained red. was told that he could no longer be their Cameron kept on preaching. Jesus and if we follow and chaplain. Once again, Richard had been serve Him, we must be Our hearts were once touched by secret sermons Preached on hillsides as we gathered in our hundreds prepared to lose his job rather than go He was bold in making God’s Word prepared to suffer. Others Desperate and thirsty for the word, against what he knew was right. known. He preached comfort and will try to get us to change But they killed our preachers. encouragement tenderly as well as our minds, even a little bit, BECOMING A PREACHER speaking about the way that God was to please them. Remember Today, few know our names, Once more too, John Welwood was a being denied and disobeyed in the Moses: he had to make up his Lost in the innumerable dead. faithful friend. “I am glad that the Lord country. Sometimes people listened with mind growing up in Pharaoh’s We are John, James, even Margaret. helped you to be faithful to him in that tears in their eyes. palace. Would be suffer with Tell me, was it all for nothing? family you were in…” “Acknowledge him God’s people or would he No, our blood lives on in those who remember; in all your ways and he will direct your READY TO DIE sin? Do not be tempted to In Christ’s royal bloodline the children of the king.