Times of Refreshing, 1840–1841

Ut it is desirable to gather up some records of this B revival. In the Memoirs of Mr. M’ Cheyne will be found some references to it. We must not, however, pass it over with a general statement. Both as important in itself, and as connected with Mr. Milne’s life and ministry, it claims special notice,

In the end of 1840, the Presbytery of Aberdeen took up the subject of ‘revivals,’ and appointed a committee to make inquiry. Though this investigation had primary reference to Aberdeen, yet it embraced other places; among others, Perth. The bias of some members of committee and of Presbytery was very strong against revival work, and especially against Mr. William Burns, who had been preaching in Aberdeen as well as in Dundee and Perth. Judging from the statements in the public press, he had turned the world upside down, and had come to do a like work for Aberdeen. He is designated ‘A young preacher, named Burns;’ ‘A silly-looking lad with a sort of meaningless simper on his face;’ and he is represented as attempting ‘to get up in this city a sort of religious excitement, in imitation of the revivals which he had originated in the south.’ One of the Aberdeen meetings is described in detail; and Mr. Burns is represented as standing in the precentor’s desk, gazing in silence on his excited audience; dropping down on his knees; covering his face with his hands, and looking through his fingers; ‘jumping up like a jack-in-a-box,’ looking on with a selfcomplacent smile. His words are called’‘ daring blasphemy,’ and his conduct ‘a scandal or religion, and a disgrace to our city.’ The writer goes on thus: ‘There is. something in his manner which, whatever it may be now, must originally have been pure affectation. His drawling, unearthly voice, his theatrical attitude, his owtré expression of countenance, seem as if they were all put on for a purpose. Then a person who, like him, acknowledges that he spent a very wicked early life, cannot be so ignorant of the world as not to know that the effects he produces on the silly females who flock after him can all be fully accounted for on natural principles, without any necessity for a supernatural interference of the Holy Spirit. The lower animals (and ignorant women, when they allow themselves to be led away entirely by their feelings in matters of religion, are little above the lower animals in intellect) can be made to imitate any inarticulate sound. Go into.a dog-kennel and raise a peculiar whine, and the chance is that you are soon joined by the whole pack, especially if there are many puppies present. Mr. Burns must know these things, and be well acquainted with the character and temperament of the women who chiefly follow him; yet he persists in attributing the wails and cries of excited and hysteric females to the direct operation of the Deity. Had our Saviour been alive, might He not have emphatically said to Burns and his followers, “Be not as the hypocrites?””

These are specimens of the mind of the public press, being some of its comments on ‘one of the most deplorable exhibitions of misguided enthusiasm and moral insanity which could possibly be imagined.’ They are quoted here to show the fierceness of the opposition then encountered by those who did the revival work of these days. They remind us of the scoffer’s taunt in reference to the Pentecostal scene, ‘These men are full of new wine.’ But they are also quoted to give Mr. Burns an opportunity of speaking for himself. He wrote thus to me respecting these public charges, and others contained in private letters to myself : —

° Newcastle, 27th Sept. 1841. — Mr. states as an admitted fact, in his letter, what is wholly without foundation, that it is my practice frequently to stop during my sermon, lay my head on my hands, and leaning on the front of the desk, or kneeling in the pulpit, to engage in secret prayer. The only case in which I ever paused to pray secretly in public was when, in solemn circumstances, I have appointed that all the audience should spend a few minutes in secret prayer. This you may remember was done in the famous meeting of Commission in 1596, when Mr. Davidson preached to 400 ministers and elders, and allowed them a quarter of an hour for such searching of heart, and when the silence was only broken by the sighs and groans of men who felt the blood of souls lying on them. Neither have I made it a practice to kneel in the pulpit. I have hardly ever done so, and never, in the middle of the sermon, when the people were waiting for the continuance of the services; this whole imagination has arisen from a stateeesment made by the editor of the Herald, who neither knew the circumstances nor what I was really doing. My reason for pausing on the occasion was, that the audience were in so tender a frame that they needed but little said to them, and that I was afraid of exciting them, as it would have been easy to do by a continued and forcible address; and as to dropping down upon my knees, the whole matter was this, that I leant upon the desk, and as it was rather low, I, of course, relaxed my limbs, and might seem to be kneeling to one who did not notice the real depth of the desk. I should like you to notice, on my authority, the charge of kneeling, etc., as there is an air of affectation, singularity, and enthusiasm about the whole statement, which may do injury where I am not known,’

The rest of the letter I think I may give, though it refers to Newcastle.

‘Join with us in giving praise to God for visiting us with tokens of His presence and power. Last Thursday we had a very large and solemn meeting in the open air, and last night I had an immense audience, who stood solemnly engaged and impressed, under a harvest moon, from five o’clock to half-past eight, and would have remained much longer. I was

enabled at last to speak out, I believe, in the power of God, about the sins which are murdering thousands here. Oh,

entreat the chosen of God among you to plead for us now in the crisis of the war.’

But it is not with the presbyterial report at large that we have here to do; but merely with the record which is preserved in it regarding the work at Perth. It is an official and authentic document, worthy of being studied now, though nearly thirty years have gone by since the events occurred.

It may be well to set in the foreground the statements of Mr. Andrew Gray, one of the ministers of Perth, whose calmness, cautiousness, and honesty will be, to those who remember him, a security for the strict and unexaggerated accuracy of his testimony.y

‘I. A considerable awakening took place about a year ago in this city, and the benefit was partially experienced in my own congregation.

‘II. The chief instrument in the work was Mr. W. Burns, and the means consisted of the preaching of the word, and of devotional exercises. The labours of Mr. Milne of St: Leonard’s, and Mr. Bonar of Collace, were also much blessed.

‘III. The special circumstances referred to were the solemnity and affectionate earnestness of the appeals, the eminently close, searching, and powerful character of the addresses to the conscience, the simplicity and singular clearness with which the distinctive and fundamental doctrines of the gospel

1y We subjoin the queries of the Committee, to which the statements of the different ministers were answers.

“1. Have revivals taken place in your parish or district, and if SO, to what extent?

‘2. By what instrumentality and means have the revivals been effected?

“3. What special circumstances, in the preaching or ministrations of the instruments, appear to have produced the results in each particular case which may have come under your notice?

“4. Did the person or persons, whom you describe as the instruments in producing the effects above adverted to, address children ? — at what hours ? — in what special terms ? — and what might be the age of the youngest of them?

‘5. Do you know what was the previous character and habits of the persons converted or awakened?

‘6. Have any who were notorious for drunkenness or other immoralities, neglect of family duties or public ordinances, abandoned these evil practices, and become remarkable for their diligence in the use of the means of grace?

“7. Could you condescend on the number of such cases?

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were exhibited, and the unwearying perseverance and Christian ardour with which the means of grace were kept in operation.

‘IV. I never knew of any particular dealings with children. There was a strong impression produced upon many of tender age connected with my own schools, and I am happy to say that the good effect of it is still apparent; but I do not believe that any special or peculiar means were taken for causing a religious excitement among the very young.

“V. There are persons known to me who, I hope, experienced a saving change, and who were previously given to Sabbath-breaking and neglect of Christian ordinances, and were devoid of any serious concern about the well-being of their souls in the future world.

“VI. I have no doubt of this.

‘VII. It is quite impossible for me to du so.

‘VIII. The conduct of many has been consistent from the time of the awakening, about a year ago, to the present date.

‘8. Has the conduct of any of the parties been hitherto consistent, and how long has it lasted?

‘9. Have the means to which the revivals are ascribed been attended with beneficial effects on the religious condition of the people at large?

“ro. Were there public manifestations of physical excitement, as in audible sobs, groans, cries, screams, etc.?

‘ti. Did any of the parties throw themselves into unusual postures?

‘12. Were there any parties who fainted, fell into convulsions, or were ill in other respects?

“13. How late have you ever known revival meetings to last?

‘14. Do you approve or disapprove of such meetings upon the whole ? — In either case, have the goodness to state why.

‘15. Was any death occasioned, or said to be occasioned, by overexcitement, in any such case ? — and if so, state the circumstances in so far as you know them.

£16, State any other circumstances connected with revivals in your parish or district, which, though not involved in the foregoing queries,

may tend to throw light upon the subject.’
D
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50 LIFE OF REV. JOHN MILNE,

‘IX. Decidedly. There has been a marked general improvement. I have been much struck with this among my own flock.

‘X. There were, on several occasions, in St. Leonard’s Church.

‘XI., XII. I understand that this also was the case.

‘XIII. There were one or two meetings, I believe, which were prolonged till two o’clock in the morning.

‘XIV. On the whole, I disapprove of them strongly; not, however, so strongly as I do of our Perth fashionable assemblies, where dancing is frequently kept up till three, four, and five o’clock in the morning. While I say that I disapprove very strongly of religious meetings protracted far into the night, I would not be understood to speak without exception, for then I should condemn Paul’s meeting at Troas (Acts xx. 7-11), which continued much longer than any meeting of the sort in modern times that I have ever heard of.

‘XV. Two deaths occurred, which I have heard attributed to the excitement connected with the awakenings. One of the individuals was thought to have caught cold at the meetings, fever ensued, and she died. I am not aware of the particulars of the other case; nor do I know how far there is good reason to believe that the parties in question would have been now in life if we had had no revivals, I may add, although the point is not mentioned in the queries, that there have been a few cases of mental derangement apparently connected with the awakenings,

‘I may here observe that queries X., XI., XII., XV., seem to me to mean substantially this: Does the excitement which vivid discourses of the truths, both alarming and consolatory, embraced in religion, necessarily produce, exhibit similar physical phenomena to what are exhibited by excitement arising from any other cause? And I answer that it does.

‘XVI. The only other circumstance which it occurs to me to state, is that, in the month of February, last year, sixteen young persons applied to me for admission to the Lord’s Table. I saw them twelve or fifteen times; had private con-

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REPORTS ON REVIVALS. Sr

versation with them; and had, therefore, the fullest opportunity of knowing their state of mind. I found that no fewer than ten of their number were under deep and solemn impressions of a religious nature, which had been derived from the ministrations of Mr. Burns; and eight of these, at least, I could not but judge, were truly converted from sin to holiness, “from the power of Satan unto God.” Never had I so interesting and delightful a class of catechumens as on that occasion. It may be supposed that I have anxiously watched their subsequent deportment. I have done so; and I rejoice to state, that all I have observed is confirmatory of the reality of that change which seemed to have taken place.

ANDREW GRAY,
Minister of the West Church of Perth.
PERTH, 29th Yanuary 1841.’

We give next Mr. Milne’s own statement. It does not enter into particulars; but, brief as it is, it is very satisfactory.

‘1, There has been a revival to a considerable extent in my congregation, and in the town generally.

‘2, Chiefly through the instrumentality of Mr. W. Burns. I believe there are also several persons who consider themselves indebted to my own preaching, and that of Mr. Bonar of Collace, and Mr. Cumming of Dumbarney, who took part occasionally in preaching and conversing with the people.

<3, I had abundant opportunity of becoming intimately acquainted with Mr. Burns, as he lived and laboured with me constantly for between three and four months. I never knew any one who so fully and unfalteringly obeyed the apostolic precept: “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them.” I was struck with his close walk with God, his much and earnest prayer, his habitual seriousness, the solemnizing effect which his presence seemed to have wherever he went, and his success in leading those with whom he conversed to anxious, practical, heart-searching concern about their state in God’s sight. In public, his ministrations were chiefly of an awakening nature, addressed to the unconverted. With this view, his subjects were always wisely selected, being such as included fundamental points: man’s lost state as a sinner; its marks and consequences; man’s helplessness as a sinner; the vanity of all his endeavours to justify or sanctify himself, and the certain and everlasting ruin of all who should persevere in such attempts; Christ Jesus, His righteousness, its alone sufficiency, its Zerfect freeness, its zmmediate gift to all who believe; the blessed effects of such faith; the Holy Spirit, His work in convincing and converting, and the danger of resisting Him. These subjects were treated more subjectively than objectively, which Mr. Burns was the better enabled to do, from having much intercourse with people under concern, who had fully opened up their minds to him. The effect of his preaching was also aided by the unusual earnestness and solemnity of his delivery, as well as by the densely-crowded state of the church, and the spirit of prayer and expectation in. which very many came to the meetings. In compliance with the language of the query, I have spoken of the chief human instrument; but I am persuaded, both from what I saw and felt at the time, and from what I have since known of the permanent and blessed results, that a greater than man was among us: “Not by power, nor by might, but by my Spirit.” I never witnessed before, nor have I since, such manifest tokens of God’s gracious presence as were vouchsafed us during several of the first months of last year. I can only say, in the words of Jonathan Edwards, “The goings of God were then seen in His sanctuary, God’s day was a delight, and His tabernacles were amiable. Our public assemblies were then beautiful; the congregation was alive in God’s service, every one earnestly intent on the public worship, every hearer eager to drink in the words of the & minister as they came from his mouth.” What he also mentions of the much weeping and deep concern manifested under the preaching of the word, is also true in regard to the meetings here, but is noticed in a subsequent query.

‘4. There was no address specially to children, though a considerable number attended the meetings, and seemed deeply affected. Some of them, on being questioned, were found to possess correct views of their state as sinners. They had prayer-meetings among themselves in several parts of the town; and though these, as was perhaps desirable, were soon relinquished, yet I would hope that some on these occasions received impressions, which God will acknowledge as His own work.

‘sz. I had only been settled here a few weeks when the revival began, and, consequently, had little previous knowledge of the people. I have since, however, had intercourse with many; some were godly persons before, but on these occasions they seemed to have been literally revived and stirred up. They received enlarged and more realizing and influential views of their privileges and duties as Christians. The generality, however, were persons who had either been greatly careless of religion, or had been resting self-satisfied in a form of godliness, though destitute of its power. The lan- - guage frequently used was, “We always thought we were well enough, we had no idea we were such sinners.”

‘6, Yes, though I cannot condescend upon particulars.

‘7, Impossible, as the persons awakened belonged more or less to all the different congregations.

‘8. Many are to this day growzngly adorning the gospel of God their Saviour in all things, and gradually forming a peculiar people, zealous of good works. I am acquainted with families where ali, or almost all, the members seem to have been savingly converted.

‘9, Decidedly; during the time the awakening continued the state of the town was greatly changed. The watchmen at night often remarked that they had little now comparatively to do, the streets were so quiet. At some of the manufactories and large workshops the improvement was very marked. Of course this does net now continue to the same extent 3 but still there is a sensible improvement within the last twelve months on the general state of the town, as various circumstances show.

‘to. There were

“11. Some did.

‘12, There were various instances of this.

“13. Once or twice till one or two o’clock; they were generally, however, concluded about ten o’clock, or a little later. It was often exceedingly difficult to prevail on the people to go away.

‘14. I disapprove, because they interfere with family arrangements, and with family and private devotions 3 they may occasion disquiet in families where some of the members attend them, while others dislike them; they are apt to produce a kind of spiritual dissipation, that causes disrelish for ordinary ministrations, and they may lead to a violent revulsion into the opposite extreme. Still there are circumstances in which I should feel no hesitation in prolonging such meetings till morning, as we know the Apostle Paul did on one occasion. It is only when there is much of the divine presence and blessing attending our ministrations, that the people will come out to week-evening exercises, far less continue to a late hour.

‘15. There was one young lady, whose death was attributed to cold caught in attending these meetings at the beginning of the season. Another young lady died during the summer, whose death was thought to have been hastened by the same cause. She was one of the earliest converts; but one of the most decided and most hopeful, and died in great peace. There were also some cases of mental derangement, and others who, for a time, bordered on this state; but they are all long ago restored, and are walking consistently as believers,

‘16. I would remark the unusual and long-continued thirsting for the word which the people manifested. Night after night, for many weeks, the church was one dense mass of human beings, all the passages being crowded with persons, who remained standing for hours together, and seemingly inaccessible to weariness and fatigue. I would remark, also, the deep, solemn, almost awful attention which they maintained during the whole of the services. I would observe, also, that the awakening extended to many miles round. Persons frequently came in considerable numbers from great distances to attend the meetings, and returned home through the night. I may also remark, that one of the things which was most to be regretted, during the awakening, was the want of a sufficient number of judicious experienced Christians to take charge of prayer-meetings, which were, therefore, necessarily entrusted to young men. And now, though it was to me a time of much labour and anxiety. I look back with thankfulness that I was privileged to see such a season; and it is my desire and prayer that I may yet see similar days of the right hand of the Most High.’

But we have other documents, laid before another Church Court. In the same year the Synod of Merse and Teviotdale took up the subject, and, in answer to queries, received statements which it may be well to preserve, as they have not, like the Aberdeen report, been published. From this unpublished record I make the two

following extracts. First, I give Mr. Milne’s evidence : —

‘ Perth, 25th October 1841. — I1 was favoured with your letter of queries regarding the work of God in this quarter. I regret much that I did not make an effort to answer it immediately. My reason for not doing so was my hope that I should find time to do it at some length. The engagements, however, connected with the concert for prayer, followed by those of our communion season, which occurred yesterday, rendered, or seemed to render, this impossible. I this morning write rather for the purpose of acknowledging your letter, than with the hope of being able to communicate any information that will conduce to accomplish the end of your inquiry. You are probably aware that I formerly furnished a short account of God’s work here to the Presbytery of Aberdeen. That account, however, was written hurriedly, without the idea that it would be published, and the questions were not perhaps fitted to elicit a full and fair view of the subject. I subjoin a note or two, passingly, in answer to your queries.

‘Previous state of the people. — I can say little on this subject, having been only settled here about two months when the revival began.

‘First symptoms of change, and circumstances preparing the way. — Perhaps the settlement of a new minister may have been of some use, at least in my Own congregation. Indeed, I know of cases where it was so. There was also a longing, anxious expectation among the praying people — a kind of dmonopedonic. Their hearts had been stirred by what had occurred at Kilsyth, and still more by what was doing at Dundee, almost at their own door. They felt a kind of godly and humbling jealousy that the Lord should visit other places, and yet pass by them. As is said of Israel in the days of John, not a few were in expectation, and mused in their hearts. I mention this because I believe it to be an important element in preparing the way for Him who usually stands at the door, and will not force His way, but waits till He is invited or constrained to come in. On the last Sabbath of the year, Mr. W. Burns preached for me in the afternoon. He asked those who wished to converse concerning the state of their souls, to come into the vestry after the service. I had been preaching in another church that afternoon, and when I reached the vestry, found four or five persons there. It was late, and J proposed that they should go home for a little, and return at seven o’clock, when we would meet with them. They went accordingly; and when we returned at seven, instead of the few we expected, we found a considerable number of persons assembled in the lower part of the church. Mr. Burns prayed, and sung psalms and paraphrases, making remarks before singing, especially-on the 51st Psalm and 44th Paraphrase. There was deep solemnity, which gradually almost awfully increased; many began to shed tears, and to throw themselves on their knees at prayer, in the seats and passages. Mr. B. was speaking plainly, simply, without the slightest effort; and yet perhaps at no time during the whole season of revival was there more of the effectual presence and power of the Lord than on that night. Most of those, I have reason to believe, who were present, were either quickened or lastingly impressed. Hour after hour passed, and still they would not or could not go away. It was near midnight ere they all retired. Next day there was a full meeting at-twelve o’clock, and another, very much crowded, in the evening at seven, which lasted for several hours. Next day it was the same, and the next, and the next; and thus for nearly three months these daily double meetings continued without interruption, the evening ones always densely, oppressively crowded, and continuing usually for three or more hours — the passages within and without being completely filled with people standing all the time. During this season there were all the marks of a work of God which we see in the account given of the preaching of the gospel by the apostles. The multitude was divided, families were divided; the people of God were knit together, they were filled with zeal and joy and heavenly-mindedness; they continued stedfast, and increased in doctrine and fellowship, being daily in church and in prayer-meetings; and numbers were constantly turning to the Lord.

‘ Nature and amount of change. — God’s people quickened; backsliders restored; doubting and uncertain brought to decision and assurance; hidden ones, who for years had walked solitarily, brought to light, and united to a family of brothers and sisters; and a large number of the worldly, thoughtless, ignorant, self-righteous turned to the Lord. We have a peculiar people growing up among us, who are separate from the world; know and love one another; watch over, exhort, and aid one another; they seem to grow in humility and zeal, and entertain frequent and endearing intercourse, both by letter and mutual visits, with the good people of Dundee, Aberdeen, and other places.

‘Facts illustrating. — Had I time, I could, with Mr. Burns’ help, who kept a record of cases from the beginning, furnish many interesting facts relating to the first impressions and subsequent progress of different individuals. I mention only one, that of more than two hundred young persons whom I have admitted to communion, and of very many of whom I have reason to hope there was a real heart-work, almost all dated the origin, or deepening and perfecting, of their convictions from this season.

‘Means employed. — The means chiefly honoured in this work was the preaching and conversation of Mr. Burns. I regard his appearance as a kind of era in our Church affairs. I know how dear he is to the heart of multitudes here, and in the country many miles around. On the Tuesday after the work began, Mr. Cumming joined us, and on the Friday, Mr. A. Bonar; and their preaching and conversation were also much blessed, and their names are very dear to the hearts of our people. There were numerous ofen and private prayer-meetings. The zealous exhortations, example, and prayers of those who had themselves been awakened, were a most important means of alarming and bringing in others.

‘Kind of. breaching. — Solemn, earnest, affectionate, beseeching; never losing sight, or rather never thinking of anything but the conviction and conversion of sinners, and thinking nothing done if this was not accomplished. The ministers preached after much prayer, and with the almost assured expectation of getting the blessing. The people came believing that they would meet with God. The subject was Christ Jesus in His fulness, freeness, offers; and privilege and duty of immediate acceptance, and danger and present guilt of delay or refusal. Christ’s grace and kindness to even the vilest sinners seemed to break the hearts of many. Such passages as the woman that was a sinner; beginning at Jerusalem; “Ethiopian eunuch; washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb; He was made sin for us, and He righteousness; barren fig-tree; washing disciples’ feet. I should say that the holding forth the priestly office and work of Christ was specially blessed. But the goings of Jehovah were then in His sanctuary. None could help feeling this is Bethel. The most careless were awed. There was something unspeakably solemn, sweet, and exhilarating in the services. After exercises of several hours’ continuance there was no feeling of weariness or satiety. People who were worldly then, and who are worldly now, were drawn and kept, as by a charm, night after night, in the house of God, instead of straggling about the streets, or haunting places of amusement and dissipation. I felt as if the presence of God were resting on the whole town; and the country round was shaken for many miles. My time is gone. I do not know if I should send these hurried lines. If you wished, I would try to draw up an account befitting, as much as I could, the momentousness of the subject. The season of which I have been speaking is pleasant to my memory, and its fruits vemain. 1 like the queries you propose; they comprehend the subject. I have often heard of you from my dear friend and brother, A. Bonar. Accept my prayers and best wishes. May grace, mercy, and peace be multiplied to you and your Synod.’

I give next the evidence of Mr. Bonar, then of Collace, who enters a little ‘more into detail.

‘ Collace, October 20, 1841. — In the autumn of 1838, I came to be assistant minister of Collace, a parish of less than eight hundred souls. There was not much of open or gross vice among the people, but there had been a silent and perpetual flow of worldliness, secret vice, and lax morality, in which each countenanced his neighbour. Many who belonged to the Parish Church had good acquaintance with Scripture doctrine, but their religion was decency and formality. The season of Handsel Monday was a day of unchecked and open sin, and many really believed that drunkenness, riot, and folly at that time were no way sinful. There were scarcely any, even among those looked upon as superior to others in piety, who reckoned dances, songs, merry-makings, and occasional drinkings, as at all inconsistent with real religion: There were some among them who kept up the orthodoxy of the truth, but had almost totally lost its vitality; most of them resting contented with knowledge and intelligence, even denying that it was the duty of a believer to be sure of his conversion, and attain to a full assurance of his interest in Christ.

‘During the first eight months of my settlement among them, the people began to manifest a great relish for ordinances, and a great anxiety to be visited and catechised. The attendance at church became very regular and full, and Sabbath profanation very rare. A Sabbath school held in the church for younger children, and a morning class for those above fifteen, were both attended by almost all in the parish of the specified ages. I began a weekly prayer-meeting, which I conducted without any formality or system, expounding Scripture, and familiarly laying before them topics connected with revivals and spread of religion, or similar subjects. To this the people flocked in crowds, even during the severest nights of winter. Still I saw nothing of a real work of the Spirit. During the eight months I knew of no soul converted, though I afterwards had reason to believe that there were two or three who, during that time, did get the first drops of grace. But the general state of feeling might be accurately expressed by the saying of an elderly woman, who stated her mind thus to a neighbour: “If Mr. B. goes away now, he will leave us worse than he found us; for we are halting between two opinions.”

“It was at the end of these eight months that I received the call to be one of the deputation to Palestine and the Jews. Circumstances prevented me having it in my power to supply my place during my absence in the manner I desired, and on my return the parish seemed to be in the very state in which I left it. They had read the letters sent to them from abroad with much interest, and cordially welcomed our return. I immediately resumed the weekly prayer-meeting, with more hope of blessing than ever, as the Spirit had that year been poured out on other places. We hoped too, that, because of our love to Israel, God would remember us. I preached, as formerly, the plain doctrines of grace — the sinner utterly lost, requiring to be wholly saved by the Redeemer; the Holy Spirit’s work in opening the soul of the sinner to receive these truths; and the sure and present forgiveness that is conveyed to him that believeth. I had occasion also to dwell much upon the necessity of a man being so thoroughly changed that he could not fail to know that old things were passed away; because, while the doctrine of conversion was admitted in the parish, it was at the same time a prevailing and obstinate error that a man might be a regenerated creature, though he was not himself aware of having undergone any change. This form of error was silencing the anxieties and fears of a vast number. I began now to hear of one or two meeting together for prayer; and the regular attendance at the weekly meetings was so remarkable that more than once I heard people say, “that surely there was something felt by them, or they would not come so often to hear the gospel on a week night.” There was a great backwardness on the part of individuals to tell their state of mind. Two or three, however, came to me in distress of mind; one of whom, in telling me her case, said: “It was before you went to Jerusalem that I was struck; you said at a prayer-meeting that a soul must be pure, without a spot, if it is to enter heaven; and all the time you were away I thought on that, and how it could be, and this led me to seek the Saviour.”

‘J was in the habit of getting those of my brethren, with whom I was most intimate, to assist me, such as Mr. M‘Cheyne of St. Peter’s, Dundee, and Mr. MacDonald of Blairgowrie. In the middle of April 1840, at one of our ordinary meetings on Wednesday evening, Mr. Cumming of Dumbarney, and my brother, Mr. Horatius Bonar, from Kelso, were assisting me. The night before we had kept a fast appointed by the Presbytery for the state of the Church, which had been attended with very solemn effects, and this night the meeting was fuller than ever. After Mr. Cumming had prayed and spoken upon the scapegoat as a type of Christ, Mr. Bonar followed, and took the woman of Samaria as his subject. While he was pressing on all present the immediate reception of the offer of the living waters, many burst into tears, old and young, and among the rest, several boys of twelve or fourteen years of age. A deep and awful solemnity spread over the whole meeting, and, after the blessing was pronounced, fifty or sixty people remained in their seats, most of them in tears. Two or three old people came along the passage to speak with us, their faces wet with weeping; and this was the most affecting sight of all. We appointed another meeting for the following evening, and there the same scene occurred again; some were even more awfully impressed, and one cried aloud after the meeting was over. On the Friday evening all was deeply solemn; but that night nothing external appeared. The results of this week were such as proved this to be a visit of the Holy Spirit — some drops of a shower. From this date onwards, I found the hearts of anxious people in a manner burst open. They would now freely tell their feelings, and ask counsel and direction. This was not confined to persons of any particular age; several aged persons were among the number of the awakened; one of these said, in deep distress, “I have gone all my life thoughtlessly to the Lord’s Table, and nobody ever warned me;” and another said, “Oh, if I had come to Christ sooner!” Of the young people who were that night very deeply awakened, I know three or four instances in which the in:- pression has completely faded away; and the same is true of one or two elderly people. In some others the impressions of that season often to this day recur to mind, and they speak of it as a thing they cannot account for. In these cases there has been no saving result. But there are many others, in

MIR. BONAR’S REPORT.

lea) Los) whose cases the work of grace is evident and undoubted; and in this number there are as many heads of families as young people. The general impression also, on the whole parish, has been very marked. At the communion, that same season, very many were alarmed and made anxious by having their attention directed to the truth that men ought to come to Christ before they come to His table; and that those considering themselves unconverted ought to stay away.

‘The work of the Spirit has not ceased among us, though it has not spread to the extent we longed for and hoped. Many persons in neighbouring parishes have shared in our blessings. At the same time, we see yerified among us the words of our Lord, “I came not to send peace, but a sword.” We meet with scoffing, and suchlike opposition, from the profane in all the country-side, and not unfrequently from cold and dry professors, Indeed, to these last I believe is to be ascribed a great check that the work received, as they used their influence and example to prejudice and cool the anxieties of many, and even led them to conform to the world. Nevertheless, there is now among us a godly seed, small in number, but decided on the Lord’s side, rejoicing in the glad tidings.

‘I could mention many individual cases that would illustrate the nature of the work among us. The mother of a family, who had long been anxious, was brought to peace one Sabbath while I was preaching on John ii. 16, “God so loved the world.” She saw the love of God to sinners, and was filled with such joy, that it seemed to her the most wonderful sermon she had ever heard. In coming out of church she inquired at others what they thought of the sermon, and then at her own husband, and could not understand how they were not all as fully occupied with it as she was, for “it did seem to her the most wonderful she ever heard.” A young woman, who is a striking example of free grace, and who came to peace after dreadful distress, said to me, “I often wished to die since I found Christ, for I am afraid of sinning; but one day I remembered Christ’s words, ‘I pray not that Thou

shouldst take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldst keep them from the evil.’” The same person underwent a great change in regard to her temper after she got peace, being ever after, as she said, able to be quiet and not hasty when provoked. Another, a mother of a family, who in her agony of soul was on the point of setting out to visit meat midnight, came to sudden peace while reading Mark xvi. 14: “He upbraided them with their unbelief” — perceiving that she was not pleasing Christ but resisting Him, by not venturing to believe. A sense of Christ’s love filled her heart. The father of a large family, who had been long outwardly respectable, became more and more concerned. One evening he asked me to visit him after he came in from his work; and when I went, showed me a chapter in Guthrie’s Saving Interest, “which,” said he, “I could not have understood a few weeks ago, but which, I feel, just describes me now.” That night he was quite unable to see the truth; but long after, at a prayer-meeting, when I preached upon Abraham’s believing God, the Spirit opened his heart, and, as the meeting dismissed, he told me he had found what he sought. For several days after he was in some measure upset with joy; but that soon passed. He has continued to manifest a remarkable and most satisfactory change. His own account of the source of his joy to one who asked him to explain it, was this: he turned to 1 John v. 11: “God hath given us eternal life; and this life is in His Son;” and said, “Now I believe that, and it fills me with joy.” Another man, who has now reached very clear and scriptural views of salvation, when he became deeply concerned about his soul, was so conscientious that he gave up family worship, which he had formerly observed occasionally, “because he thought he was making his family suppose that he knew the truth, while, in fact, he only saw and knew his want of it.”

‘ Such is a brief narrative of what the Lord has done among us during these three years. It was His word alone which His Spirit blessed, — “the word that God sent preaching peace by Jesus Christ,” accompanied by prayer in public and in secret. We have seen the steps of our God and King in His sanctuary, and we expect Him again. “O the Hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest Thou be as a stranger in the land!”’

The above extracts will give a better idea of that extraordinary work, which affected the whole town of Perth and its neighbourhood, than any description of my own could do. Having seen a good deal of it at the time, and heard of it from those directly concerned, I would only add that the half has not been told, nor indeed can be. In remembering the events of that period, one is stirred up greatly to desire the return of such days. Zhen it was that we knew something of what it was to be ambassadors for Christ; to preach in earnest; to be listened to in earnest; and not to labour in vain.

It was of the work in Perth, as well as of that in Dundee, that Mr. M‘Cheyne wrote in October 5, 1841 : — -

‘It do not think I can lay any more facts before your committee than those contained in the Aberdeen letter, Only this I would say, that half is not told you; no words can describe the scenes that have taken place in this place, when God the Spirit moved on the face of our assemblies. The glory is greatly departed; but the number of saved souls is far beyond my knowledge.’?

That there were evils connected with all this is possibly true. The good and the evil go together. The day of separation has not yet come. We prayed for a revival of truth and faith. It hascome. But with it there has come a

1 Letter to the convener of the Committee of the Synod of Merse

and Teviotdale., E revival of error and unbelief; of superstition and rationalism, We were not prepared for this. It has taken many by surprise. Ought it to have done so? Did we expect the enemy to sleep, or think that the time of sowing tares was gone by?

Both truth and falsehood sometimes lie long hidden,. like the seeds of flowers and weeds, deep under the soil of some old garden, till some change of temperature, or some trenching of the ground, makes them spring. Then they come up together. That which vitalizes the one, vitalizes the other also. If this be discouragement, we must be prepared for it; we must face it; we must preach and work as men who believe it. It has never been otherwise in the history of the Church of God; nor shall be otherwise till He comes again. Satan is not yet bound.?

This chapter may now close with some brief extracts from letters relating to the period. They do not give information as to events, but they help to exhibit the wo men

“In reference to the work in Perth we have the following testimony from Mr. Burns, several years afterwards. In a letter to Mr. Milne, dated Hong Kong, Fan. 29, 1848, he says : — ‘ How different are my present engagements from those of 1839 and 1840 in Scotland; and yet this is the work to which I at first devoted myself; and all that I have seen and felt of the power of God in times past ought the more to confirm and quicken me amid the difficulties of a Chinese mission. I feel clear about having followed the call of God in coming here, although I know not for what end He is thus leading me. TI trust the Lord is still remembering you in Scotland, and confirming His covenant with many. Ah! when I think of Perth and of days gone past, thoughts begin to open to me which are almost too much to bear. What accounts must be rendered by preachers and people of these days of the right hand of the Most High! Pray for me that I may not fall back, but be enabled to go on to the end in the strength of the Lord God.’ of God. The first I quote is from Mr. M‘Cheyne to Mr. Milne, Nov. 10, 1841 : —

‘My DEAR BROTHER, — Many thanks for “Gloomy sad Gethsemane.”! How strange that the darkest night in all this world, should give light and peace to the heart! I don’t think you are so much with us as I with you. At all events, we are not weary of you. We hadatime of blessing. Oh for more! I was preaching last Sabbath on “So mightily grew the word of God.” William Burns comes to Edinburgh this week. Let us pray for him.’?

Again, in the same fervent strain Mr. M‘Cheyne writes : —

“Your notes cheer me; for I have much need of it. Nothing damps me so much as being kept from the regular work of my ministry. We had a good day yesterday. I was preaching on family government, Gen. 18, 19: “I know him, that he will command his children.” What will all our preaching do, if family government be not revived in Scotland? Ah! brother, we must cry louder to God and man than we have ever done. See the blasphemies uttered by the railway directors. The duty of trampling God’s law under their feet! I think all God’s people should unite in prayer on this subject, that the Scottish Sabbath may be preserved. God will hear when railway directors will not. We had a sweet time last New Year. Of course I cannot be with you. But I expect Somerville to be with me, and he will give you a word in passing. Farewell, brother. Pray for us, especially in reference to our work,’

As one needing intercession he writes : —

1 Referring to Hart’s old and well-known hymn on Gethsemane.

2 This spirit of intercession comes out very prominently in Mr. M‘Cheyne’s letters. Here is the last sentence of one about this time: — ‘T enclose Andrew’s note to let you see the state of things. Pray for us, as we for you. May we have gales passing from Perth to this, and from here to you, and from heaven to both!’

‘Remember to think kindly of me, and pray for me, for I am poor and needy. Oh that I had the wings of adove! Oh to be like Jesus, and with Him to all eternity! Ever yours till then, — R. M. M‘C’’

Longing for the day-break, he writes : —

‘I preach to-night at Newtyle, and to-morrow evening at Lintrathen, in a barn, and on Thursday in Kirriemuir. Pray for me, for I am a poor worm, all guilt and all helplessness, but still able to say, “In the Lord have I righteousness and strength.” When shall “the day break, and the shadows flee away?” When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. I long for love without any coldness, light without dimness, and purity without spot or wrinkle. I long to lie at Jesus’ feet, and tell Him I am all His, and ever will be.’

Accepting the sympathies of brotherhood, he says once more : —

‘Your kind note was a great refreshment tome. Sympathy from a Christian brother is like “the wine that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of them that are asleep to speak.” I had agreed to come out to Collace, where I now am, and therefore was shut up from accepting your more than kind invitation. Another day I may avail myself of your critical powers. I write now to say that I shall gladly preach for you on Sabbath first, if you will go down and preach for me. Now, dear brother, you must not disappoint me in this, because I came up here (Collace) without making any provision. Do go down, like a vessel full of the Spirit, and may you be blessed among the people! Iam like a dry reed, scarcely fit for anything. Yet God will get the more glory if He will blow His sweet Spirit through me. Brother Andrew bids me say that you must be here on Monday.’

In the following way does the Dundee shepherd transfer one of his flock to the Perth shepherd : — ‘My DEAR BROTHER, — I send you another soul to care for, a name to write on your breastplate when you go in before the Lord, I. B. She seems really to have had her heart opened to attend to the voice of Jesus. She goes to a farm near Perth, and is to attend you.... Oh that God would rend the heavens and come down, and fill this place with His presence! I add no more; but pray for weary travellers like yours ever, — R.M. M‘C. Faint yet pursuing. — 11¢z iVov. 1841. Day of Culsalmond intrusion.’

To myself Mr. Milne thus writes : —

‘My EVER DEAR BROTHER, — I am just favoured with your welcome note, and rejoice in the prospect of your coming. You will give Mr. Walker part of the fast-day, and me the evening, as last time, and then preach straight on, Friday, Saturday, and Sabbath. I think our people have been growing stronger since you were here. They got an open door to the fountain, and I really feel that they have not misimproved it. So, courage! Ihave been in the Highlands, and enjoyed it exceedingly. They ask me back; and we may take a run up for a day or two, when you come. There is an open door. But — Saturday, Saturday. So farewell. Yours very affectionately, — J. M.’

To Mr. Somerville he thus writes : —

‘We seem to forget that our Master has received the promise of the Father, and that He baptizes with the Holy Ghost. The longer I live I see the more clearly we are saved by grace. Theoretically we readily admit this; but we come slowly to a humbling, realizing, practical, habitual sense of it.... Look at Phil. ii. 20, 21. Have you ever thought this rather severe? When I look at my own heart, and judge even more charitably of others than of myself, I fear it is too true. Hence I fear the absence of the spirit of love. He honours Christ, and we have an under-current, se//-honour, which He will not work with or aid. Search us and try us! Yet it needs not diligent search, for I fear we shall find it polluting all we do.’

— — — — ;

To Mr. Bonar of Collace he thus writes in 1840 : —

‘I wish you would write me often, for I find it for a long time refreshing, though it were but a few words. You remember the words, “In the morning sow thy seed,” etc.? I have just been at the infirmary, and found a little boy, Jamie Thomson, about twelve years old, lying there threatened with blindness. He cannot see except with one eye, and all he knows is the difference between day and night. Poor little fellow! he is surprisingly patient. He says he is sometimes cast down, but he revives again. I am told by his sister that, after the last Sacrament, there was a great change in him; and, on questioning him as to the cause, he said that he never thought about divine things till the evening of the last Sacrament, when he thought what a happy thing it was to be among the people of Jesus, and to be clothed with the white robes! I meet

with many, dear brother, to whom that evening seems to have been blessed.’:

The truths preached were ‘old and plain.’ It was the divine power which went along with them that made them tell. They were preached by men who had got the great question of their own acceptance settled, and knew the meaning of the apostle’s words, ‘Who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath committed to us the ministry of the reconciliation’ (2 Cor. v. 18).

Immediate forgiveness to the sinner, upon his reception of the divine testimony to the death and resurrection of the Son of God ; — this was their message. It did its work, and was life from the dead to multitudes. ‘He that believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.’

‘Peace with God,’ as the present result of a believed gospel, was what they presented and pressed; not peace as the issue of a lifetime’s struggles, but peace at once, through Him who-has made peace by the blood of His cross; peace, not flowing from the ascertained excellency. of our faith, either as to quantity or quality, but from the ascertained excellency of Him on whom the chastisement of our peace was laid. They made each hearer feel that there was nothing between him and the cross, neither barrier nor distance; that distrust was not humility, and that all unbelief was a crucifying the Son of God afresh and putting Him to an open shame; that each weary son of man, as such, was entitled, nay, commanded, to rest at once upon God’s free love, not as the result of his doing or having done one good thing, but simply in consequence of that one good thing done upon the cross, — the finished work of Him who is God manifest in flesh.

Sinners are by some directed to go to Christ; and so far it is well. But, then, it turns out that it is only for preliminaries to salvation that they are in the first place to go, and not for salvation itself. They are instructed to keep at preliminaries (such as conviction, faith, repentance) until these have become sufficiently substantial to warrant them to trust Christ implicitly, and to draw the conclusion that they are saved. Mr. Milne, and others whom God honoured to do His work in those years, sent the sinner straight to Christ for salvation, — for an immediate salvation: ‘ Whoso shall call on the name of the Lord sHALL BE SAVED,’ — not merely, shall get faith, and godly sorrow, and humility, but, shall be savep. That same gospel which, warrants a man to go to Christ for anything, or to expect anything, warrants him to go for everything, and to expect everything. God has kept faith with the world. He promised a Saviour; and in due time that Saviour came. So does He keep faith with the sinner. He promises that whosoever consents to be indebted to this Saviour for life shall have it on the spot. He keeps His word.

It was with this free gospel that the men of ’39, ’40, and ’41, went forth to do the work of the ministry. It was with this weapon that they assailed the rebellious heart; not parleying with the conscience, but laying hold of it; not giving place, even for a moment, to the sinner’s excuses or reasons for delay, but urging him with the divine demand and claim; calling on him, at the peril of aggravated and augmenting guilt, to receive at once the great salvation.

Another of his hymns written in after years may be here inserted, as suitably closing the chapter : —

‘TO THE SINNER.

* Open thy doors, O stubborn heart,
Thy gates of stone fling wide apart,
The Lord of heaven is come!
He left for thee His throne and state,
Intent to take thee for His mate,
And make thy heart His home.

Long has He tracked thy devious way,

And seen thee wandering far astray,
Upon destruction bent.

But yet He would not thee forsake,

Nor from thee would His mercy take,
But oft deliverance sent.

He called: His voice thou wouldst not hear;
He frowned: His wrath thou wouldst not fear
His gifts were all misused.;

But still He plied His thankless task,
And condescended oft to ask,
Though oft He was refused.

Look forth, and see who courts thy love,
And longs to take thee for His dove,
To nestle in His breast.
Fain would He break thy galling chain,
Fain would He all thy foes restrain,
And lead thee into rest.

What hast thou to be valued more

Than He who stands thy gate before,
And access seeks to win?

Art thou not wretched, naked, blind,

With unclean heart, distempered mind,
All darkness and all sin?

Awake, O Spirit of the Son,

Thy olden works again be done,
In opening closed hearts.

Put in Thy hand, the bars undo,

The carnal mind with grace renew,
Before the Lord departs.

Without Thee, vain the trumpet’s blast,
In vain the summons wide we cast,
Till Thou Thy help extend.
Our field with precious seed is sown,
But yet with thorns ’tis all o’ergrown
Till Thou in rain descend.

Praises to Him the Son who gave;

Praises to Him who came to save;
But praises, too, to ‘pee

Who goest forth to work unseen

(Tho’ soon we know where Thou hast been)
To set the captive free.’