The Bulwark Magazine of the Scottish Reformation Society
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The Bulwark Magazine of the Scottish Reformation Society JULY - SEPTEMBER 2018 // £2 July - September 2018 1 Rev. Paul Murray The Bulwark Portmahomack Magazine of the Scottish Reformation Society Rev. Robert The Magdalen Chapel 41 Cowgate, Edinburgh, EH1 1JR Tel: 0131 220 1450 Email: [email protected] Finlayson www.scottishreformationsociety.org Registered charity: SC007755 (1793-1861): Chairman Committee Members an overview of his life and ministry » Rev Kenneth Macdonald » Rev Maurice Roberts Vice-Chairman » Rev Alasdair Macleod » Mr Allan McCulloch Rev. Paul Murray » Mr Matthew Vogan Secretary This is the first of two articles on Rev. Robert Finlayson. The second one will » Rev Douglas Somerset » Rev John Keddie consider the revival under his ministry in Lochs in more detail. Treasurer » Rev David Campbell » Rev Andrew Coghill » Dr Robert Dickie I. UPBRINGING Robert Finlayson was born in 1793 in you from the Lord. He is to be reared for a village called Mid-Clyth in Caithness, the Temple Service.” around four miles north of Lybster and CO-OPERATION OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY twelve miles south of Wick. His father When he was five years old, Robert’s In pursuance of its objects, the Society may co- (a) To propagate the evangelical Protestant faith was a schoolmaster and a godly man; his family moved to Dunbeath, which was only and those principles held in common by operate with Churches and with other Societies mother, too, was known for godliness and eleven miles south of Mid-Clyth but it was those Churches and organisations adhering to whose objects are in harmony with its own. the Reformation; came from a godly family. Mid-Clyth was in in a different parish – a parish which had the parish of Latheron and the minister was a godly, gospel-preaching minister. This Magazine Editor: Rev Douglas Somerset (b) To diffuse sound and Scriptural teaching on a Moderate, known neither for godliness exposure to gospel ministry had a deep All literary contributions, books for review and the distinctive tenets of Protestantism and nor for evangelical preaching. So, young effect on Robert and, from a young age, he papers, should be sent to: Roman Catholicism; Robert’s parents asked a more notable had a concern for his soul. He also seems The Magdalen Chapel minister, the Rev. John Robertson, then of to have had a desire to preach the gospel (c) To carry on missionary work among 41 Cowgate, Edinburgh the Achrenie Mission, to baptise their child. at this stage – Norman C. Macfarlane, in his adherents of the latter faith with a view to EH1 1JR This John Robertson became famous as Apostles of the North, tells that, as a child, winning them to the doctrines of grace and to [email protected] the fellowship of the true Gospel; a preacher in the Highlands and was he would go out to preach to the God’s instrument in the conversion hens and, with tears in his eyes, The views expressed in articles are those of (d) To produce and distribute evangelistic, of Dr John Macdonald of Ferintosh he would plead with them to the contributor and may not necessarily reflect religious and other literature in connection with who himself was the instrument remember the God who cared those of the Editor or the Committee of the the promotion of the Protestant religion; of conversion in the lives of for them. As well as exposure Society. Scriptural references are from the A.V. hundreds of people throughout to gospel preaching, he also (e) To promote the associating together of men except where stated otherwise. the Highlands and beyond. had exposure to good books and women, and especially young people, When Mr. Robertson baptized which he found on his father’s for systematic Bible Study and holding of young Robert Finlayson, he said shelf. Among these were Bunyan’s Unattributed material is by the Editor. meetings for the above specified purposes. to his mother: “Mrs Finlayson, Pilgrim’s Progress, Boston’s I assure you that this is none Fourfold State, and Jonathan Edwards’ History of DESIGNED & PRINTED BY: other than a Samuel www.peppercollective.com that has come to Redemption. Tel:028 9851 2233 2 The Bulwark July - September 2018 3 Young Robert does not seem to have come Not only was it a huge area, but transport to an assurance of faith, however, until he was also problematic. As Donald Beaton went to King’s College in Aberdeen. There explains: “The parish was broken up by he attended the ministry of the famous numerous arms of sea, extending far inland, Dr James Kidd, an Irishman who was an and there were no roads. In visiting he had eccentric and a fierce evangelist, and was to cross numerous ferries, and to walk miles at that time minister in the chapel-of-ease upon miles over rough moorland, and to at Gilcomstom. Under that ministry, and make long voyages by sea in an open boat. with help from a book by James Hervey He had to stay at night in uncomfortable called Theron and Aspasio, Robert came to huts and sleep in uncomfortable beds.” a knowledge of the Saviour that he would Finlayson’s successor – Big John Macrae so faithfully and fruitfully serve for the rest of – had a small yacht called “The Wild Duck” his life. During his Aberdeen days, Robert which was gifted to him by the people of was known as ‘Finlayson of Prayer’, so that, Skye but Finlayson had to make do with a as Macfarlane shares, ‘often the air was The old church, Bruan, Mid-Clyth. small white pony and other peoples’ boats melodious with his song.’ After his years Finlayson’s father’s school was at the back where he could make use of them. in college, he became sick with smallpox, makes a strong case that this is an error before Finlayson’s arrival, would be packed so much so that he went blind for eighteen in the Fasti and that, actually, it was more to capacity, and people would come from Finlayson’s predecessor in Lochs was a days and thought he would die. However, likely that he preached once a fortnight at Stornoway (which then had a Moderate man called Rev. Alexander Simson from God, in his providence, had work for him the Woodside Chapel, a preaching-station minister) to hear him preach. Not only that Ferintosh who spent the best part of forty to do and he made a remarkable recovery. linked to Dr Kidd’s Gilcomston Chapel. but, on week nights, people crowded his years in the parish until his death in 1830. Before long, his preaching was drawing house to hear family worship so that the Although he clearly had affection for his II. EARLY MINISTRY IN ABERDEEN crowds, to the point that the Church was living-room, hall, and even the stairs would people, and cared for their physical well- AND KNOCK crowded an hour before the minister turned be crowded with people wanting to hear being and education, yet he did little to Robert Finlayson was licensed by the up and late-comers could not even get him. In 1829, however, after just two years nothing for their souls. He was a perfect Church of Scotland Presbytery of Caithness near the door. His preaching, then, was in Knock, he was translated to the parish caricature of Moderatism: what Beaton in 1826. He took his first service in Watten doctrinal, imaginative, quaint and earnest of Lochs by Lady Hood Mackenzie – the calls “a blind leader of the blind”. It is and his text was from Ecclesiastes 9:10: – Macfarlane says that ‘there was a note work in Knock, in God’s providence, being very likely that he himself was a stranger ‘Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it of the heavenly which struck every hearer.’ carried on by another godly minister, Rev. to grace and that evidenced itself in his with thy might.’ Afterwards, the minister Duncan Matheson. ministry. His preaching was boring and of the congregation said to an elder, ‘Well, After three years in Aberdeen, Robert showed the people little of their own souls we had a young minister today.’ ‘Yes,’ the Finlayson took a call to the parish of Knock III. MOVE TO LOCHS AND THE and even less of Christ, the Great Physician elder replied, ‘but he was an old Christian.’ in Point on the Isle of Lewis and became SITUATION OF THE PARISH of souls. This was a sign of things to come. only the third evangelical minister, after The parish of Lochs, along with perhaps Alexander Macleod of Uig and Finlay Cook the parish of Lochbroom, must have been The story is told of a communion Sabbath His first charge was in Aberdeen, as the of Cross, to settle on the island. Although among the most difficult places to minister in Lochs after the revival had broken out assistant to Rev. Hugh Mackenzie in the the details of his ministry in Knock are in in the whole of Scotland. For one thing, elsewhere in the island. All adults in Lochs Gaelic Chapel. Although there is confusion scant, we know that it was owned of God. it was massive – bigger than some Scottish were at this time communicant members regarding what other work he did while in His first sermon was preached on the text counties. Its borders were taken from Loch and Mr Simson, as was his custom, gave an Aberdeen (the Fasti (1870) says that he ‘Behold the lamb of God which taketh Seaforth to the Creed and about ten miles indiscriminate, unqualified call to the Lord’s worked part time as a missionary in Dr away the sin of the world’ and, during his inland.