William Burns was the son of the pastor of Kilsyth, and was used to bring the 1839 Kilsyth Revival. He came to Breadalbane in 1840, spreading the revival there, and after he left there were some large meetings; perhaps the largest was on the 'green braes of Grandtully.'
The town was also touched by the 1874 revival which was begun in Edinburgh through D L Moody.