First Years in Perth, 1840–1842
AM R. MILNE began his ministry in Perth with great
earnestness; though his preaching at first was not so marked and full as in after years. He had been sent to do a work for God, and he began it with fear and trembling, as one conscious of insufficiency. (2 Cor. ii. 16.) The work he had come to do soon became apparent.
On the roth of February 1840, he thus writes to Mr. Edmond : —
“I have been busy, very busy, almost unceasingly, night and day for the last six weeks; and the result of the labour is, I trust, one of the most hopeful and widest revivals that has as yet taken place in Scotland. The person chiefly instrumental in beginning and carrying on this is Mr. Burns, lately of Dundee, who is living with me; and we are very happy, working without intermission. We are in a great degree alone, having only got help occasionally from Mr. Cumming of Dunbarney, and Mr. Bonar of Collace. You can form no idea what a thirst there is on the part of the people to hear; and we have already much fruit in numerous cases of hopeful conversion. I have every day fresh reason to bless God that I was sent here, and to remember you with gratitude and affection for being
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helpful in sending me. I find cases where my preaching was blest from the very beginning. We have much opposition, and it is getting more violent as the work goes on.! Mr. Gray is the only town minister that stands by us, though he takes no active part in the services, as he is occupied with the non-intrusion question, of which he is the great champion. I find fresh opportunities of usefulness opening up every day; so you must rejoice with me.’
Some time after he thus writes to the same : —
‘I see you all active on the patronage question. Let me know the general state of feeling. I have been co-operating as
‘T remember that at one time the walls of Mr. Milne’s church, and other places, were scrawled over in chalk with figures and sentences; some ridiculous, some abusive and vile; in mockery of the men and the work, The two names occurring in these inscriptions were those of William Burns and John Milne. The opposition was great. Some calling themselves evangelicals stood quite aloof. They honoured routine, and condemned what they reckoned disorder and excitement. Some, afraid to unite in the ‘moderate’ charge of ‘fanaticism,’ fell back upon the cry of ‘more evil than good.’ Often, in different parts of Scotland, have we heard this as the ‘sum of the whole matter’ in regard to the evangelists of these years, ‘They are doing more harm than good;’ an expression which might have come well enough from the lips of a zealous workman, but which from those of a lukewarm one sounded ill, At one time the managers of Mr. Milne’s church re- - solved to attempt to exercise their authority in refusing the use of the church to Mr. Burns. On the following Sabbath Mr. Milne made the following announcement: ‘The day that my pulpit is closed against Mr. Burns will be the day of my farewell to Perth.’ A letter to myself, from Mr. Bonar of Collace, of date Jan. 24, 1840, speaks thus: ‘Tn Perth there is a real work of the Spirit under Mr. Burns’ preaching. I have been once or twice assisting; the meetings during the week are in St. Leonard’s Church almost daily. The whole town is stirred; everybody is talking of the movement; worldly men are outrageous in their opposition; newspapers also misrepresenting. and vilifying those concerned in it, ministers and: people.’
far as I was able on the right side. Let me hear from you soon, or, still better, let me see you. I used to envy your being so constantly employed; but I have enough of it now. But labor ipse voluplas. Are you growing in grace, and in the knowledge of Christ? That is the only desirable advancement.’
I have given these two extracts together, though their dates are separated by some ten months, in order to show how the church questions of that day were interwoven with the highest spiritual work.
In one of Mr. Milne’s note-books we find the following Soi iiy
‘Most of the existing body and soul of New England churches originated in revivals; and hence a danger of fancying that little advance is to be expected or laboured for when there is no special work of God going on. Who can tell whether these occasional periodic showers or a continual downdropping dew would be best? But let us seek directness of aim; expect conversions, even when not aware that the Spirit is at work, in the way of prayerfulness and inquiry. In revival times there is expectation of being heard; earnestness and determination of mind commensurate. At other times there is a general faith of God’s willingness to answer; but zow (in revival times) there is a fervour kindled by a distinct grasp of its object as present and immediately attainable. The hearer now comes expecting that we shall call him to repent immediately and turn to God; conversion is in the mind both of preacher and hearer. Hence we find in America short seasons of energetic fruitful nature, and then long dead vacations. God’s love, interest in His church, faithfulness, never change; and He puts special honour upon those who are stedfast, and go on against discouragements and opposing currents. There are instances of revival going on through a whole ministry, Let revival effort be used even when revival does not exist.’
The above paragraph lets us know the state of Mr. Milne’s mind, in reference to what are called ‘ Revivals.’ It prepares us for understanding the part which he took in them, both in his own congregation and those of the brethren with whom he was associated. Like many of us, he did not trouble himself about the word ‘revival.’ He. did not feel concerned either to defend it or to take offence at it. It was the ¢hing which lay underneath the word that he regarded.. That thing which occurred in Jerusalem at Pentecost (Acts ii. 41); in Samaria some short time afterwards (Acts viii. 8); again at Antioch (Acts xi. 21); again at Iconium (Acts xiv. 1); again at Thessalonica (Acts xvii. 4); again at Corinth (Acts xviil. 8); that zing, call it by what name we please, seemed to him to be the very end and object of the ministry. A minister of Christ is not an essayist, nor an orator, nor a lecturer, nor a philosopher, but ‘an ambassador for Christ’ (2 Cor. v. 20); a ‘fisher of men’ (Matt. iv. 19). His work is not in the first place that of improving morals, or elevating character, or rectifying social evils, or redressing material wrongs, — but of savinc. As the Apostle of the Gentiles said, ‘Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel,’ so we have still to say, as servants of the same Master, ‘Christ sent me not to civilise, but to preach the gospel.’ It is that gospel which is ‘the power of God unto satvation’ (Rom i. 16); a gospel not depending for its efficacy on the ‘enticing words of man’s wisdom,’ but on the ‘ demonstration of the Spirit and [on His] power’ (x Cor. ii. 4); for ‘after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by [its] wisdom knew not
God, it pleased (cdddxyoev, it was ‘well-pleasing’) God by the foolishness of preaching (rod xnpvyparos, this preaching, ae. of the cross) to SAVE them that believe’ (1 Cor. i. 21).
The spiritual movement in which Mr. Milne took so deep an interest, began, as the first of the above letters indicates, very soon after his settlement in Perth. In December 1839, Mr. Burns came for one night; but. found such encouragement that he remained for several months, having meetings, chiefly along with Mr. Milne, but also with the assistance of some others.
The first night that the church was lighted with gas, Mr. Bonar of Collace came to town to help, and found (in the afternoon when he arrived) Mr. Milne and Mr. Burns sitting together. As soon as Mr. Burns saw the two brethren, ready for the evening work, he started up, looked at his watch, and said that he must be off for Dundee to. hold a meeting there that night. It was in vain urged that he was advertised to preach, and that crowds would be gathering. He snatched up his carpet-bag, and set off for Dundee. The two brethren, thus abruptly left, conducted the meeting, which was a very crowded one; and it is believed that much good was done on that occasion. One individual afterwards gave this testimony concerning it: ‘The first sermon convinced me of sin, and the second brought me to Christ.’
The spiritual work went on during January and February with manifest results for good, both in the town and neighbourhood. The crowds were great, both on Sabbaths and week-days. Many were, during that time, ‘turned from darkness to light.’ Mr. Milne’s sermon on the
CONTINUOUS FRUIT, 25 ‘barren fig-tree,’ in Mr. Gray’s church, is still remembered for its solemnity and power. During the day crowds of inquirers flocked to Mr..Milne’s house for conversation with him and Mr. Burns. Every seat in the church was let; the aisle, the lobby, the vestry (a small flat-roofed toom behind the pulpit) were filled at every meeting. After every seat was let a list of seventy was made up, who were waiting for the first vacancies. Many of these did not get seats till after the Disruption. At Mr. Milne’s first communion, in April 1840, there were one hundred and forty young communicants. For some years afterwards great life and warmth exhibited themselves in the congregation.* The members were set a-working vigorously, in different ways; various agencies sprung up, connected with both old and young — Mr. Milne himself at the head of all of them, full of faith and fervour. A weekly prayer-meeting was begun, which has continued to this day. The Perth Young Men’s Tract Society was commenced. At first three of its members were sent out by Mr. Milne with their first distribution of tracts; now there are forty. St. Leonard’s became noted in the neighbourhood. It became a centre of blessing. ‘To it was traced much good or evil, by those who either liked or disliked the proceedings there. ‘ You’ll be from St. Leonard’s,’ was the answer given by more than one, to an individual who was dealing faithfully with his fellow-travellers. One family was signally blest. Several daughters were converted, along with the mother, who,
1 Our best days in St. Leonard’s,’ writes Mr. Milne, nearly twenty years afterwards, ‘were when William Burns, and afterwards A. Bonar and Mr, Cumming, used to take part, and work side by side.’
though she had been long a professing Christian, used to say that never till then had she ‘lost her grip of the world.’ One son continued unchanged. He soon after left Perth for another place, and Mr. Milne gave him a note of introduction to a minister there. The young man saw through the paper his own name, and read these words: ‘ Others of the family have got the blessing, but he is left.’ The words smote him to the heart, and he returned to Perth, seeking the Lord, and has long been a child of God. The father was much opposed to the work and to Mr. Milne; but before his death he too was changed; and hearing of Mr. Milne, after his return from India, being in the place in which he lived, he sent for him and welcomed him with joy.
An additional communion was kept on the first Sabbath of January 1842;’ and, some time after, it was resolved to have the communion four times a year. The Presbytery, however, interfered, and the session, for the time, gave way for the sake of peace. Mr. Milne seems to have felt this interference of the Presbytery. It depressed him as well as wounded him. Robert M‘Cheyne thus wrote to him on the occasion : —
‘MY DEAR BROTHER, — Your distress has afflicted me. If
one member suffer, all the other members suffer. I fear that, like my own case, unbelief and sin mingle with your bodily
1 At the same time there was the communion in St. Peter’s, Dundee, regarding which Mr. M‘Cheyne writes to him: ‘We had a sweet communion season. I never enjoyed one more. It isa milestone nearer heaven. Perhaps I may never see another. It was like the gate of heaven,’
LETTER FROM MR. M‘CHEVNE. 27
unhingement, and retard your recovery. Tell me how you are; you know I feel along with you. I am weak like you, sinful like you, and now suffering like you. We have both our Elder Brother, who knows our sin and sorrow, and can save from both. Oh that He may come speedily! I feel for you also in regard to your communion. I differ zo¢o clo from the speeches of your brethren in Presbytery. Had I been in your place, I would have carried the case to the Synod and Assembly. It may yet be remedied. I intend to assail Mr. Grierson and Andrew Gray the first time I meet them. I think you should move for four communions in the town. At the same time, I think you have let go a valuable privilege of an individual session to appoint a communion at any time, taking the peculiar circumstances of the particular congregation into view. For example, when I came from abroad we had a special communion season, and it was greatly blessed. This power should not be taken from sessions.... I have not preached yet, and am only to preach once a Sabbath. Oh that I could improve affliction! ‘This I have learned more than ever, that Iam aworm. Bear me on your afflicted heart before the throne, and accept the sympathy and prayers of a suffering brother in Jesus — ROBT. M. M‘CHEYNE,’
About this time missionary boxes were placed at the doors of Mr. Milne’s church, that the zeal and liberality of the people might have a weekly channel through which to pour. themselves abroad. ‘There are few such missionary boxes at our church doors now. It is well that our local funds should prosper, and no less so that our offerings for the poor should be constant. But it is desirable that the missionary box, with its missionary inscription, should meet the eye of our people every time they enter the house of God, lest they forget the words, ‘ Freely ye have received, freely give.’
We shall see how close, in after years, was Mr. Milne’s connection with missions, and how deep his interest in them. In these missionary boxes we see how his mind was already occupied with foreign work, and his eye turning to the foreign field. To trace a connection between these boxes and Mr. Milne’s important step in 1853 might be going too far; but it is not the less mteresting to note the fact of his thus early calling the attention of his people to missions, asking their liberality in behalf of the missionary cause; especially in connection with the great work of God then going on at home.