Alexander Dewar, the minister of the Congregational Church, realised the low state of religion in the area, so in 1829 he called for days of prayer and fasting. He wrote, 'The church revived and the Lord began to bless the preaching of the Gospel so that seldom a Sabbath passed without good being done, and this was not only the case when at home, but in answer to the prayers of an enlivened people, wherever I went to preach souls were converted. As an illustration, I may mention that during that season I went as usual to Caithness and six members were added to the church in Wick shortly after, who ascribed their conversion to that visit.'
Of the work in Avoch, Dewar reported, 'the greater numbers were young persons and of that class which to all human appearance were the most hopeless characters. The impressions were general so that almost all subjects of conversation gave place to the enquiry, "How does it fare with your soul?"
'Early Congregational Independency in the Highlands and Islands, by McNaughton, pages 247-9.
Thanks to Tom Lennie and his book, 'Land of Many Revivals', pages 219-20.