Revivals in the Nineteenth Century.

During the nineteenth century Perth and Perthshire were richly visited by God in revival power again and again. Detailed eyewitness accounts survive which mean we can have our faith stirred for the present by reading about what God did here in the past.

1. Moulin. () 1799-1805. Through a passing visit of the great evangelical preacher, Rev. Charles Simeon of Cambridge, the minister of Moulin, Rev. Alexander Stewart, was converted. Here is his own account of what followed. “The novelty of the matter, and some change in my manner of preaching, excited attention. People began to think more, and sometimes to talk together of religious subjects and of the sermons they heard. Seldom a week passed in which we did not see one, two or three persons brought under deep concern about their souls, accompanied with strong convictions of sin and earnest enquiry after a Saviour.” “I trust, I can reckon truly enlightened wit the saving knowledge of Christ, I find their number about 70. The greater part of these are under 30 years of age. Several are above 40, six or seven above 50, one 56 and one above 70.” The immediate effect was evident. “Swearing, profane talking, foolish and indecent jesting in great measure ceased while revelry and drunkenness at wakes, funerals and on other occasions almost wholly disappeared.” Among the converts were James Duff and Jean Rattray, the father and mother of Dr. Alexander Duff, ’s pioneer missionary to India. “The fruits of the revival are being gathered in yet from the ends of the earth.” MacRae p 132-3. (This letter is quoted in full in “Restoration in the Church, Reports of Revivals 1625-1839, Christian Focus. P 67-78.)

2. Aberfeldy. 1803-1806. (Haldane Institute Preachers) The Haldane Institute was formed by two brothers in Stirlingshire, James and Robert Haldane who, following conversion sold up their family estate in order to evangelize. In 1800 the Haldane Institute sent Mr. Farquarson to Aberfeldy to be a scripture reader in the district of Breadalbane. In the whole area there were no full bibles, only a few New Testaments. Ignorance was rife and opposition severe. “Despite of opposition and neglect, he went from village to village, during the winter, reading the bible and speaking the words of salvation to all who would listen. In the spring of 1801 there was some awakening and early in 1802 . So extraordinary a revival took place that in a very short time there were about 100 persons, previously ignorant of the gospel who seemed to be truly converted. Their conversions occasioned a sensation.” MacRae p 134-5.

3. . 1803. 145 converted.

4. Aberfeldy. 1806. In 1806 Mr Kennedy became pastor of the Independent Congregation. He also taught in a school while his wife taught sewing. The Rev David Campbell of Lawers described Kennedy’s ministry. “Scarcely a sermon was preached but some new case of awakening occurred, the moaning and sobbing like a flock of lambs separated from their dams. However busy at their lawful avocations the people might have been, when the hour of prayer was come all work was thrown aside and a rush to the barn, hamlet or hillside might be seen from every corner of the glen. I have seen your 1

father (the letter was written to Mr. Kennedy’s son, Dr. John Kennedy, Stepney) stand almost knee-deep in a wreathe of snow, while at the same time, it was snowing and drifting in his face all the time he was preaching, and the people gathered around him patiently and eagerly listening to the fervent truths that proceeded from his lips.” MacRae p 135-6.

5. Loch Tayside. Glen Lyon, Killin, Lawers and Ardeonaig. 1816-1819. The famous MacDonald of Ferintosh (Black Isle) came to preach regularly up to the 1830’s. Great congregations gathered to hear Rev. Robert Findlater, minister at Ardeonaig. This is Mr Findlater’s account of the communion of autumn 1816. “The sabbath day was the great day with us. The whole services were in the open air. I thought proper to give Mr. MacDonald the action sermon, to which he readily consented. It may be said, he came to us in the fullness of the gospel of peace. There was a vast congregation collected, between 4000 and 5000, for I spread the information far and wide. He preached 2 hours and 20 minutes from Isaiah 54:5. “For thy maker is thy husband” During the whole sermon there was hardly a dry eye. Eagerness to attend to the word preached was depicted on every countenance, while tears were flowing very copiously, and literally watering the ground. The most hardened in the congregation seemed to bend as one man and I believe, if ever the Holy Ghost was present it was there, but the general impression seemed to be a universal melting under the word.” Mr. MacDonald himself seemed to be in raptures. There were several people who cried aloud” MacRae p 136-7. (See also Iain Murray, A Scottish Christian Heritage p 133-134.) The work continued for about 4 years. Note – this was before the Breadalbane clearances so the population was high at this time. People were so hungry to hear God’s word preached that they would walk for miles around the loch or cross over from one side to the other in droves. “Glenlyon was especially stirred. Young men form the glen crossed the shoulder of every Sabbath to be present at the services at Lawers or Ardeonaig. At first they went in twos of threes, but as the interest increased their numbers increased until Glenlyon became the centre of an intense spiritual revival. Mr. James Kennedy of Aberfeldy went to the Glen on October 1816 not fully knowing how the Lord had prepared the way for him and to quote the words of his son “The effects produced by Divine love were such as led all to exclaim “This is the finger of God”. Day after day, and night after night crowds assembled in barns and under the shelter of the woods to listen to those strange things that had been brought to their ears. Sometimes amid bleak winds and drifting snows, with their lamps suspended, fairy like, from the fir trees which sheltered them, preacher and people were so overcome that the service was interrupted by the strength of their emotions. Mr. Kennedy found it impossible to leave the scene of this great work for some time and his flock in Aberfeldy were left for several Lord’s days to edify one another until sheer physical exhaustion drove their minister home.” MacRae p 139-140. Entire families in Glenlyon were converted and there were only 5 or 6 families in the glen who saw no member saved.

6. Lawers. 1839. The Rev. Duguld Campbell of Lawers hearing of the revival on Kilsyth invited William Chalmers Burns to visit Lawers. A gracious move of the Spirit was the result. A record of what happened had to be sent to the Presbytery of Aberdeen, which was rather sceptical. (See Michael McMullen p 57-66 for further details.) Burns was given detailed questions to answer. They wanted to know if this was a true outpouring of the Spirit or the work of man. To their credit they decided it was the former. Burns responded very graciously to this grilling. At Ardeonaig W C Burns preached to a crowd of 3000. (See Mc Mullen p 53-55.) The following are extracts from Rev. Duguld Campbell’s report. Page 2.

“In the preaching of Mr. Burns there was something which told his hearers that he was earnest for the salvation of their souls. He dwelt continually on the love of Emmanuel in laying down his life for sinners; but it was chiefly during prayer that the results which fell under our observation took place. There were no children addressed apart from the congregation, yet there were a number of young persons from the age of 13 and upwards, of both sexes, deeply impressed under the preaching of Mr. Burns : and we have reason to bless God that we can point out some in this congregation who have been made subjects of divine grace after Mr. Burns left us. Those awakened were all respectable as to their moral character, with the exception of very few. We must observe that there are very few, indeed, in this congregation who deserve the name of notorious drunkards, yet some who have been in some degree addicted to drinking are now become shining characters; and others who neglected both family duties and public ordinances are now become very remarkable for their diligence in the use of the means of grace. There were sobs, groans and cries to be heard among the awakened in this place; but the work of God’s Spirit in convincing of the evil of sin and the sinner’s need of a hiding place from the storm was particularly manifest in floods of tears on every cheek, when they looked unto Him whom they had pierced. One fainted in this congregation but there were no convulsions. I can never forget the feelings of my soul on that evening when, owing to the voice of lamentation that filled the church, I was obliged to stand for some time without saying a word in the pulpit. This took place when I was preaching for my dear friend, the minister of . I may mention that we were longing for such a change. Prayer meeting were kept up. Reports of revivals in other parts of the world were regularly laid before the people, and these statements were greatly blessed in stirring up the people to seek the Lord. I may state, also, that since the revival the people are most eager in their attendance upon the means of grace; that the solemnilty which appears in our assemblies is most remarkable and that the work of the Lord is still going on, and the people keeping together.” MacRae p 143-145.

W C Burns own accounts can be read in “God’s Polished Arrow” by Michael McMullen. Perth p 49-50. Stanley, Kinfauns, p 50 Ardeonaig p 53. Moulin p 55. W C Burns made many preaching visits to Perth and Perthshire from 1839 to 1844. He was God’s chief instrument in the revival at St. Peter’s in Dundee. He was part of a group of young minister friends, all in their twenties, including Robert Murray McCheyne, Andrew Bonar at and John Milne from Perth who encouraged and supported each other during this great move of God. Robert Murray McCheyne was to die at the age of 29. W C Burns went to China as a missionary and died there in 1868. 7. Collace. 1840. Andrew Bonar. See Children in Revival, Harry Sprange, p 73. 8. Blairgowrie. 1840. 30 prayer meetings going on. Sprange p78. 9. Perth. 1839-1840. Letter of W C Burns describing his work in Perthshire. McMullen p 175-177. W C Burns’ journal quotes, p 169-178 describing four months in Perth from Dec.1839-April 1840. (See also p 49 – 55.) The Disruption. Note – this was the time of the Disruption of 1843 when massive upheaval took place. In May 1843 450 ministers of the Church of Scotland left the established church to form the Free Church of Scotland. The movement was led by the evangelical Thomas Chalmers. The issue was of spiritual independence, the freedom of the church from the state and from patronage (local lairds had power to call ministers to churches in their lands even against the wishes of the congregation.) The Free Church wanted Jesus to be Head of the Church. (See McMullen p77 for a summary.) Page 3. 10. Perth 1859-1860. There was national revival in Scotland in these two years. Much prayer for revival had taken place and the revival was welcomed everywhere. The ministers of Perth invited the evangelists Reginald Ratcliffe and Richard Weaver to come to preach in the area. In “Children in Revival” meetings are described in the following places – Newburgh, , , Comrie, and Perth, p 208-211. John Milne, minister at St. Leonard’s wrote a letter in the local paper to the people of Perth in the autumn of 1860. (MacRae p 145-148.)

“After nearly two years of prayer and waiting, the Lord has visited us in unexampled mercy. You are yourselves witnesses of the events of the last fortnight – you saw the multitudes that gathered together at the open air meetings on the South Inch, and crowded the City Hall and other places at night. Those of you who mingled with these assemblages could not but have observed the solemn impression which prevailed and also must have heard expressions of interest, conviction, prayer and thanksgiving from many a lip. In particular at the close of the meeting on the second night , the City Hall presented a scene never before witnessed on such a scale in Perth; it was like a battlefield, a harvest field; hundreds were seeking the Lord or rejoicing that they had found him. Blessed be God for such a season; and yet dear friends, had this been all we should not now be addressing you. Had the movement stopped at this point, we might have attributed it to the presence and labours of those ministers and laymen from a distance, whom the Lord has so greatly honoured and blessed on other places. But God has shown us the truth of his own word “Not by power, nor by might but by my Spirit saith the Lord.” After all the visitors had left us, the meetings continue as crowded, as solemn, as earnest as before. It even seems as if the impression were deepening and growing from night to night. Men comprehend at once that they are lost, helpless, without strength and that the Lord Jesus is all they need. They feel that he is near them, that he is knocking at their door, is stretching out his hands and that it is only a look, a cry, an act of reliance and the day dawns upon them and their peace begins to flow as a river. God is willing and waiting to give you his Son. Are you willing to receive him? Then he is yours.”

11. Glen Lyon. 1861. Glen Lyon experienced another revival under the minister Duncan Campbell who was saved in January 1817 at Ardeonaig. He was the minister in Innerwick, Glen Lyon from 1837. 12. and Grandtully. 1874-1875. Waves of blessing came to Scotland late in the century through the visits of Moody and Sankey. Spurgeon also visited the area and after seeing the beauty of the area around Grandtully said it was “a fit vestibule for heaven.” Here, the Free Church minister from , Rev. Munro describes the wave of blessing.. “During the past seven months a mighty movement of grace has been experienced throughout the valley of Strathtay. Begun with a week of prayer, a spirit of expectancy was evoked. Prayer meetings and evangelistic services were largely attended. Mr. Sankey’s hymns were introduced. A new spirit of life was experienced by God’s people and many are now rejoicing in the Lord singing, “Safe in the arms of Jesus” who but a short time ago were utterly regardless of all these things.” MacRae, p 149-150. Books. Quotes taken from Rev, Alexander MacRae, (Free Church Creich) Revivals in the Highlands, 1905. (In Perth library, reference section.) Restoration in the Church, Reports of Revivals 1625-1839. (Christian Focus.) Reprinted 1989. Children in Revival, Harry Sprange (Christian Focus) 2002. Good overview of Scottish revivals. God’s Polished Arrow. W C Burns. Dr Michael McMullen. (Christian Focus.) 2000. Highly recommended! Sermons of WC Burns. Banner of Truth. (Includes sermons preached in Perth and Highland Perthshire)

4 Robert Duncan 2008.