Portknockie - James Turner (1860)
Then I went to Portknockie. Had a very crowded meeting on Sabbath night, and the Holy Spirit came down with great power on the people. Strong young men were smitten down and became weak as water. This continued till morning, and many souls were saved. Glory be to God! I went to bed for three hours. Called a meeting after breakfast and from three to four hundred people met with me. The power of God came on man, woman, and child, and many found the Saviour. The whisky shops were shut up that day. A man who kept a public-house was convinced of sin, and when the power came on him he made a great noise. I told him he could not be saved unless he gave up selling whisky. 'I give it up,' he cried. Then the Lord saved him and he went home and pulled down his sign. I formed a Temperance Society, and above 800 signed the pledge, including the three whisky-sellers.
From 'James Turner or How to Reach the Masses,' by E McHardie p23
THE BACK STORY
When Duncan Matheson was preaching in Cullen, a few of the Portknockie men went over and invited him to preach in their town also. He came and held one meeting; could not be prevailed on to remain, but promised to send a man who could do so.
This desire for spiritual help arose thus - There were three men in Portknockie who had for years been subjects of Divine grace, but instead of letting their light shine, it was put under the bushel, and if it had not quite gone out, the light it gave was not very perceptible.
By means of an accident, one of the trio was awakened out of his spiritual torpor. He suffered much pain, and in the hour of extremity went to the Lord and said that if granted longer time and needful grace he would devote himself to the Lord's service more than he had been doing.
Shortly after, the work called "The Power of Prayer" fell into his hands. He read it, and got his two friends, J__ F__ and W__ W__, to do the same. And not only did they read the book, but they arranged to meet in his house on Sabbath evening, and also on Wednesday evening, when possible, to read it and pray. These meetings were kept strictly private - only the people were at the time so generally indifferent that they likely would not have joined them - for even the wife of one of these men, a Christian woman, would often say derisively - "Oh, ye needna be at the pains to read that book, nor yet to pray; for the like o’ that ye'll see will never come here."
"Well, we'll see," her husband would quietly reply, and went on praying with his friends for at least three months. About that time their Father, who had been seeing them in secret, began to reward them openly.
As already stated, these men had secured one visit from Duncan Matheson, and now they waited and prayed for the man he promised to send them. At length, one evening, a stranger came to F__'s door -
"Can I have a meeting here?" was his inquiry.
"Are you the man Duncan Matheson promised to send?"
"No; but I am sent. God has sent me."
"Ah, weel, if ye're sent of God for the benefit of this people, we'll soon get a meeting;" and having acquainted his two praying friends of the advent of the stranger - James Turner, - the son of one of them went round with the bell and announced a meeting in the hall. In a short time three hundred had assembled. His text was "Who is on the Lord's side?" The apparent results were a considerable amount of talk regarding the man, and a great degree of interest excited in his message. That there were deeper results still, afterwards became manifest.
Next night the people turned out in such numbers that they had to adjourn to the Free Church. On the following day, the 6th of February, he wished to get away to Findochty.
"Not one step," said F__, unless you have given a positive promise to be there; you cannot go and leave the people in such a state."
"I did not give a positive promise, I only said if I saw my way clear I would go to them to-night."
"Then ye're free, for ye canna see your way clear to leave the folk jist at the turning-point between life and death."
"Syne (said F__ to myself a few days ago) he did stay, and that very night the power of God came down, and the Banffshire coast was shaken to its very centre - then he thanked God, and me too for having stopped him"
That night, the 6th of February, the people at the close of the service appeared unwilling to dismiss. Seeing this, James Turner said, "Dear people, if there are any of you anxious about your souls I will meet with you in J__ F__'s house." The house soon filled. As the meeting went on a girl was prostrated - "fainted" as the people thought, and not recovering soon she was laid on a bed, and the place cleared by main force.
But in a little while, when the nature of the case was understood, the house filled again, and then it was that God began to work mightily. Just while Mr Turner was speaking one young lad - the one who rung the bell - began to cry bitterly.
"What's the matter wi' ye, Wildie?" asked one of his relatives.
"O, it's my soul!" was the bitter wail, "It's lost! lost! LOST!" he cried in irrepressible anguish.
"What is the matter with you?" asked James Turner at another young man who was making " a great noise."
"Ye needna spier that, ye see that I'm a lost soul."
This young man's history was one of special interest. He had a fine voice, and having led the singing at some meeting held by Hector M'Pherson from Huntly, he turned to the young man and said, "What a pity that fine voice should wail in hell."
Possibly some irreverence had called forth the remark. But which way soever, the saying stuck to him, although he did not think himself in danger, his life being a morally correct one, excepting that he kept a public house.
Two of this young man's sisters had found the Saviour at an earlier part of this meeting on the 6th of Feb., and when he came in seeking his sisters, the power of God laid hold of himself.
While he was in this state his sisters were weeping and praying for him, "Oh my brother! my brother!" wailed one of them, "he's been getting his doors marked 1,2,3, and 4, to let the fouk ken far to gang to drink the stuff that will sink their souls to hell; but Lord, save his own soul." The young man wept and prayed for himself in great anguish.
"Let go yer sin and take hold of Christ," said James Turner in answer to his question "What must I do to be saved?" - "Ye canna get mercy and hold sin fast; no, ye canna be saved and keep the public house too."
"I give it up!" he cried, and no sooner had he done so, then by the power of God, he was enabled to believe to the saving of his soul and rejoiced with joy unspeakable.
"Glory be to God!" he cried, "I was to get a new sign on my house, but now I've got a new sign on my heart, the new sign of the BLOOD!" then hugging his sisters he mingled his tears of joy with theirs.
Then leaving the meeting, with some other young converts, and getting a poker, as no more convenient instrument was at hand, they wrenched off his sign; then went through his friends and relations telling them what God had done for his soul.
This is only one case; there were many others of equal interest that night. One young man, while lying prostrate under the mighty power of God, kept dragging himself along the floor, as if trying to get away from some very awful object. Reaching the wall, he pressed and pressed, until he had assumed a sitting position, and then still kept pressing against it; his whole appearance expressive of the utmost horror.
On recovering his power of speech a little, he began gasping out—" hell! hell! HELL!" and still he pressed backward. It turned out that while in this state of prostration he had a view of hell, opened up right before him, while the friends were doing their utmost to drag him down; therefore the extraordinary exertions he made to get away from it. When brought into liberty he was so filled with joy by the Holy Ghost, that he took W__ W__ in his arms, kissed and clapped him, "Until," said the good old man, "I thought he would have kill't me."
A young woman was in like manner prostrated, and, had also a view of hell and felt its sulphurous fumes; but a still deeper weight falling upon her, for about half an hour she was perfectly unconscious except that she heard music of wondrous sweetness. She recovered consciousness with the words on her lips and the feeling in her heart -
'Tis done, the great transaction's done,
I am my Lord's and He is mine.
- then she sprang to her feet and began to pray and praise God.
One woman, being much displeased, left the meeting. She was a little afraid as well and had resolved to run as long as she had the power to do so. But before going many yards she was laid prostrate in the snow - some two feet in depth. A messenger was sent for Findlay to go and speak to her, and before leaving the spot she rejoiced in conscious salvation.
These incidents, however, are only a mere specimen of what went on in a multitude of other cases. "The people were falling like sheep a' round aboot him." Of course the consternation of outsiders was great. Findlay, in whose house the meeting was held, had gone into his neighbour's house at the commencement of the third meeting, and so was not aware of what was going on, until a woman in breathless haste came crying, "Rin! RIN ! Finla, for they are a' either deed or deeing in your house!!"
Findlay ran as desired, but like Peter at the sepulchre, he did not go right in, but to use his own words — "I stood outside the door and gave a keek in to see what was doing. Seeing three big men lying on the floor prostrate, and all the others more or less in the same condition, I stood almost paralyzed, the thought in my heart being, 'Is't you that's deeing a' this, Jamie Turner, or is't God by His Spirit?"
His cogitations, however, were soon cut short by James Turner asking him to come in and pray for the souls under conviction. "And I went in," says Findlay, "much in the state of the man who saw the handwriting on the wall against him, for my knees were knocking against each other, and I only prayed shortly, for I couldna think about anything but just the hand on the wall.
I suppose he had not been pleased with my prayer for he said,
'My brother, you've been praying for the work of the Spirit of God, and now that it’s come ye don't believe it!'"
Another of the praying men had left the place before the prostrations. But about the time that the work began he was raised from sleep by a voice saying - "Rise! The Spirit worketh!" He rose, went in to see, and help, and share also in the spiritual blessing, for his son and daughter, if not more of his family, were brought to Christ that night.
By three o'clock in the morning, most of them had found peace, and the house was cleared. And strangely enough this mighty work was begun in the very house of the man whose wife had so often said - "Ye needna be at pains to read that book, nor yet to pray, for the like o' that work ye'll see will never come here."
The young converts instead of going home to bed, went to their friends and relations to tell them the great things which God had done for them. A general awakening thus took place. Meetings were held almost every night and day, not only in public, but in private dwellings as well.
"Not only houses," says one, "but the very holes and caves in the rocks were full of people crying for mercy - even the very hen-houses were filled with the children in like condition."
The Banffshire Journal Feb.28,1860 reported:
The meetings which were held in Portknockie every night were generally continued to two, three, and four o'clock in the following morning, and there is scarcely a family in the village in which there have not been cases of mental or physical prostration. Mr Fraser, the schoolmaster of the place, was very deeply affected. The children, as in all the other villages, were much affected; and could not be tired of praying and singing hymns. One day in the school, while devotional exercises were being gone through, previous to commencing the work of teaching, such was the ardour with which these were entered into, that even there, cases of striking down commenced, and spread very rapidly - one man who was sent for, reporting the result to be that when he arrived the whole school was prostrated at one time - some twenty pupils.
E.McHardie.
For six weeks this continued. During that time not a boat went to sea. Yet, though a people that had to work day-by-day for daily bread, they lacked nothing - hearts, houses, and tables, were all open day and night - and, did time and space permit, many interesting stories could be told of how the barrel of meal never wasted, nor the cruse of oil failed, while these Pentecostal scenes continued.
It would be impossible to give in detail all the conversions which took place about that time in the village, I can only give a few of those brought to Christ on the memorable evening, or rather morning, of the 7th of February, as their spiritual history illustrates at once the origin, working, and results, of this remarkable movement. I return, therefore, to the point at which I diverged - the breaking up of the meeting.
When the people had fairly dismissed, the three men who had so long prayed for a similar work to that in America, met to rejoice over it with the one honoured by God as His instrument in effecting it. And the next hour was passed in holding a kind of experience-meeting. It was commenced by James Turner saying,
"Brother - can you give us any idea of what the Lord is doing for your soul?" The answer came in these words—
"My soul is now united to Christ the living Vine,
His grace for long I slighted, but now I feel Him mine;
I was to God a stranger but Jesus took me in,
He freed my soul from danger and pardon'd all my sin.
You shall give Him glory,
And I shall give Him glory,
We all shall give Him glory,
For glory is His due."
"And you, J__ F__ when did God begin to work in your soul?"
"It was when I was led to ask A__ N__ what was his confession of faith. And he replied, 'My confession of faith goes into little bulk;' then put a New Testament into my hands, and, through the reading of that New Testament, I was led gradually to see the truth and receive it in the love of it."
There is only one of the men alive who took part in that experience meeting, and his story I will give in full, as he wishes, not merely to authenticate what I have written, but also to give his personal testimony to the reality and value of the salvation purchased for us by Jesus Christ. But before giving it, I may as well finish my account of this night of blessing. The house in which the meeting had been held being small, it was arranged that James Turner was to sleep in the larger house of another of the praying trio, with one of his sons, which son being a decent young man, and not at all, as he thought, in want of these things, had not been at the meetings. On the way to the house he asked the lad's father if his son was converted, the father answered "no," no further remark was made on either side, and how this ended will be best told in the lad's own words.
"When the meeting was done, and Mr Turner and my father were coming up the close, I heard him ask, "Is your son converted?" "No," my father replied; so I expected to be hauled up, and had my mind somewhat prepared to stand my own ground. When we had gone to bed he said quietly, 'Are you prepared to meet God?' This was not quite the line I was prepared for, so I could only say 'No.'
'You may be called to meet Him tomorrow,' he again said quietly, and turning his face to the front of his bed, did not speak another word.
"I had been prepared to argue it out with him and felt thoroughly disappointed to be thus shut up. And not only so, but the simple words he spoke kept me from my sleep that whole night.
"In the morning he did not speak to me about my soul. I did not see him again until the gloaming, when I met him, and I mind fine how he put his hand on my shoulder, and said:- 'Do you think that you'll take the Lord Jesus to be your Saviour?'
"I was silent for a little, there being a struggle in my mind between two feelings, one as if it were, seemed to say, 'you can't believe;' and the other said, 'you can believe.' I had therefore to make up my mind, which I was to do. At length I said, 'yes.'
"As the result of this decision I had peace but not assurance. But one afternoon while sitting in the room where James and I slept, I was reading the 8th chapter of Romans, reading of course for a purpose. I was trying to understand what I was reading, and trying to apply it to my own case. So doing, I read on to the 32nd verse. To be plain, there was a lot of the chapter that I did not understand, but when I came to the words, 'He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall he not with Him also freely give us all things?' I saw then, that if, when I was careless and not seeking to be saved, God gave His Son, now that He knows that I am earnestly seeking to be saved, He will not withhold His salvation from me; no, for He is unchanging.
"For a considerable time after this, however, I was of little use as a worker, not indeed for several years until I got another baptism. I remained a passive Christian until one night. I remember the very spot where I sat in the U.P. Church in Portknockie, when the truth came before me with such force that it was my place, not only to refrain from bearing wild fruit, but that I was to bring forth good fruit, not in order to be saved, but because I was saved. And in that moment I began to speak for Christ and continue doing so until this day."
I now introduce another witness, James Wilson, the young man who rang the bell, and who was the first whom the Spirit constrained to cry aloud for mercy.
"I was born in Portknockie, Nov. 16, 1844. The Spirit of God began to strive with me very early, and led me to think of the Saviour who, while on earth, took little children into His arms and blessed them. And many times did I wander away among the rocks, and, going into the caves, where I was sure no one would either see or hear me, would read God's Word and pour out my soul in prayer to Him. In short, I was trying to justify myself by the deeds of the law. I thought by my works to please God, so I attended the church very regularly, and the Sabbath School was my delight.
"I could not get on quite steadily, however. Sometimes I would be drawn away by my companions to break the Lord's day, but I was miserable in doing so, as I felt that I was sinning against God. And one day especially the Spirit of God came upon me so forcibly that I was obliged to call them all round me, and then we sat down on the grass, and I read God's Word, and told them that we were sining against Him in breaking His holy day.
"In such ways did I go on trying to weave out a robe of righteousness to cover my sins, being quite ignorant of the blood that cleanseth from all sin, until l was about fifteen years of age, when that blessed child of God, James Turner, visited Portknockie and preached a crucified Saviour.
"The night he came, I went round with the bell, then went with many more to the hall to hear him speak from the words, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.' His doctrine was new and strange to us. We had never heard such things before, for in Portknockie the word conversion was not used, scarcely known, except, perhaps, by a few who had been praying for some months that God would send someone or something to help us.
"Having never heard such things before, it pressed home upon men and women with tremendous force. For myself especially I felt that if God were to call me that night I would be lost forever, as my sins were still upon me, I had no love to Jesus Christ in my heart. I was not a partaker of His spirit, Something I wanted, I knew not what, but get it I must or perish.
"A meeting was appointed for the truly anxious in J. Findlay's house, which soon filled. A prostration occurred, and the people were afraid and wanted the house cleared. The anxious ones were not willing to go, and I was in such despair about my soul that I would not go out, but I helped to put out the others by force. The ejected ones, however, would not go away, but stood round the door, and as soon as the girl got better, made their way in again.
"James Turner seemed moved at their persistency and said, 'Dear people, you that want to be saved may be saved now, so we'll all to our knees and seek the power.' And no sooner had they gone to their knees than, as quickly as to the persistent ones of old, who let their sick one down through the roof when they could find no better way, did God yield to their urgency and the power came, for, after James Turner had prayed and another man had prayed a few words, all in a moment the house was filled. I, for one, was struck down to the earth, or rather to hell, under the pressure of my sins, for I could see nothing but total darkness, and eternal hell beneath me, and I cried, 'Lord, save me!' for about fifteen or twenty minutes at the top of my voice.
"What a mighty struggle there was in my soul ere the king of darkness let his captive go free. I lay on my knees about an hour unable to move-pressed down, sinking down and just as James Turner laid his hand upon my shoulder and said, 'Jesus died for you,' - in a moment, as quickly as one could turn up the gas, the light of the glorious gospel shone into my heart, and I saw one standing before me with blood streaming from His hands, His feet, and His side, and His visage 'marred more than any man's.' My heart broke within me as I looked, and I said 'Was this done for me?' 'Yes, all for you, I died, that you might live? And as He spoke these words the burden rolled of my soul. I started to my feet and sung at the
top of my voice—
'And now I love the bleeding Lamb,
Now I love the bleeding Lamb,
Now I love the bleeding Lamb,
Because He first loved me:
By the grace I now receive!
I can! I will! I do believe!
I can! I will! I do believe!
That Jesus died for me.'
Then filled with inconceivable joy and gladness, I flew out of the house; knocked up the people, especially my own relatives, and kneeling down at their bedsides, told them what God had done for my soul. When morning dawned the converts were going up and down the place praising God. Portknockie had never such a sun-rising! As soon as the people had a little food, a prayer meeting was called; which, once begun, lasted all day - and every day and night also for six weeks after.
"A lot of those converted about the same age as myself held meetings separate from the public meeting. We went to private houses where there were any sick, or when any other cause kept them at home. One night the house we met in was full. Had not gone on long, for we had merely sung a hymn, when some prostrations occurred. I had not been prostrated, so having the idea that I wanted something which others had received, prayed that I might get that something. So that night while I was singing, my soul was filled, and my body completely overpowered. While thinking of the words 'Behold the Lamb of God!' all at once I got another sight of Jesus, - hung up between heaven and earth as the substitute for sinners; and thus I lay, hour after hour, looking at the glorious sight, and the more I looked, the more I was filled with the love of God; tears continuously running down my cheeks; unable to move for the world. I had merely power to ejaculate occasionally 'Blessed Jesus! blessed Jesus!' &c. Being all young people, they at last got frightened at my continuing so long in such a state, and went and got some of the older folks to come in. When they had come in, and seen the condition in which I lay, they could only say—'This is the work of God?' After they prayed for the young that had given their hearts to Jesus, they dismissed the meeting. And about one o'clock in the morning I was able to go home, and did so rejoicing.
"After this I formed a prayer meeting for the young every Monday night in the school room, along with two other young men about the same age as myself, and we addressed them night about from a passage of Scripture during the winter and spring months, and I had also a kind of tract society; at least, I collected a little money from those who were willing to give it, and sent for gospel tracts which I distributed among the people.
"When my employment called me to leave home for a while, the first one I met with on reaching our destination was one of my old ungodly companions, whom I had offended the season before, and who had been lying in wait for my hurt since that time. Knowing this, I was somewhat dismayed, but when we came close up he caught me in his arms and embraced me as his brother, and told me that the Lord had changed his heart and he did not want to hurt From that time our souls were like those of Jonathan and David, knit to each other with the bands of Christ's love, and the hearts that were filled with enmity were filled with the love of Jesus and each other. He sought out a place for a meeting, and having got a suitable one, we held a meeting on Saturday night; on Sabbath also, and any other night that we might not be at sea - these were generally protracted until a late, or rather early hour, for it was ofttimes morning ere we separated, and many professed to have been blessed in them.
"When the second movement (move of God) commenced, we had to leave home for the fishing. One of us had two brothers and the other had three brothers with us in our boat unconverted. All the other boats went to sea but we stopped on shore to hold a meeting, we were so much impressed with the condition of the unsaved. In that meeting there was great power, convincing power, and some were made to feel deeply their need of Christ. Next day we were obliged to leave, and while upon the sea, on our way to the fishing ground, my mind was still deeply exercised about the condition of our unsaved friends, everything on which my eye rested, round and round me, ever-deepening these impressions. If I looked at the dark-blue sea, my mind also took in the fact in all its force, that there was only an inch of wood to protect them from it. If my eyes rested on the boat, I could not help also realizing that there was a few feet at most between them and the gaping mouth of a gulf which had swallowed up thousands. In short, I became so impressed and so fully alive to their danger that I could not help speaking to them, and pointing it out to them, and entreating them to flee to Christ, the only refuge for the soul. While I spoke they were greatly impressed.
"When we had reached the fishing ground and shot our nets, the other believers and myself began to pray, and so impressed were we with the mighty power of God that, for three hours we continued on our knees, reiterating our one petition — 'Lord, save the unconverted in this boat who are dear to us by the ties of nature.' The only variety was one who cried, ' Lord, save my brother!' During the time we were so engaged, we were down below, and our ears caught a sound from above which it will not be easy to forget. was a voice singing - It was one of those for whom we had been praying who had found peace.
Next day we went ashore on the other side and got up a meeting at Pultney - The same mighty power was manifested in that great meeting, and never will I forget the sight when another of our crew—I think I see him yet, a great stout man — threw himself back and exclaimed, ' Another sinner saved by grace! Glory be to God!' Several others, strangers to us, also professed to find peace, and all our crew, except one, have, since then, been brought in, and up to this time are standing firm.
"After one of the revival times in our village, having sung and spoken almost continuously, I was pretty much broken down. So we, i.e., I and my friend, J— F—, resolved to go out to the country a bit to recover our health. After leaving the town, we went on the road till we came to a small cottage on the roadside. We went in and had some food. Then we began to make enquiries whether they were all converted. The parents professed to be so, but none of the family, and they wished that we would petition the Lord on their behalf. We gave out the hymn-
We've found the precious Christ of God,
My heart doth sing for joy?'
As we sang the place was filled, and as we prayed the cry was raised, 'What must I do to be saved?' Two of the family then and there found peace. I was so filled with God that my weakness was all gone, and when we came home at 9 o'clock, I called a meeting, and there was not one soul in that meeting but was led to pray, and one old man who had never prayed before prayed that night. I was so filled with the power of God that I was three days and three nights without sleep, and I spoke to every man, whatever they were.; one in particular, a great rough man, who, from his size, &c., could have easily mastered me, was so awed that he slunk away, and from that day to this I have been in perfect health.
"We, i.e., the reconciled friends, were called upon to go to Crovie, and there we saw some of the blessed fruits of James Turner's labours. Most of the men were at sea, but we held a meeting. Six women engaged in prayer in succession, all of them his spiritual children. The influence of that meeting was felt over the whole town. When we went to visit a place on the Lord's service, we always took James Turner's plan as much as possible i.e., to visit among the people through the day. In doing so, we fell in with an old man, 60 or 70 years of age, and I asked,
"Have you peace in believing on Jesus?'
'Yes,' he replied; 'I was in peace until you came here and disturbed it—a lot of fellows going about the country stiring up the peace and quiet of the people. You are preaching the people mad, and driving them to their wits end.'
"Were you in the meeting to hear what we preached?'
"Yes.'
"Was it God's Word, God's truth that we preached?'
"'Yes.'
"Then, if we have delivered God's message, who is to blame for any irregularities that may be produced by it?'
"Seeing himself shut up, he stormed and raged to a terrible extent, thinking to get rid of us in that way.
But I threw my arms round his neck, and, embracing him just as a child would do a father, I said — 'You have no settled peace, and the false peace that you had, God has disturbed it. We will now make you a subject of prayer before God that you may have that peace which springs from believing in His dear Son.' His reply was a stone, which he took up and threw at us.
"That night we prayed for him, and next morning, when we had called a meeting, about 9 o'clock, A.M., he came in amongst us, and his first words were, 'Oh, pray for me, I am a poor lost sinner;' and before he left the place he professed to find peace in believing. There were also some cases of prostration - one very protracted, some 36 hours, ended at length in a genuine case of conversion. We walked home and visited every house in our way."
From 'James Turner, or How to Reach the Masses' by E McHardie pages 87-98
I left Buckie on the Sabbath and came to Portknockie, but did not find things as I could have wished. The dear people were not going back, but they were not attacking Satan's camp. A meeting was called at 4 p.m., when about five hundred assembled. I spoke for two hours, and at seven o'clock we met again. The meeting was stiff at first, but that was got over, and the Lord sent the Holy Spirit down. What a night of power! Many cases of prostration and loud cries for mercy. The meeting was kept up till about five o'clock on Monday morning. In the forenoon I preached again to the broken in heart, and after getting a little dinner started for Banff."
From 'James Turner or How to Reach the Masses,' by E McHardie page 26
.As yet I have not heard of a single case of backsliding; although, those who ought to know better, are chuckling over the idea of their doing so—many are even laying snares and temptations in the paths of the young converts. Glory be to God, the work still goes on, and I have no hesitation in saying, that along this coast thousands have been brought to a saving knowledge of the truth, full of heavenly joy and love. I have no sympathy with squeamish persons who speak of the so-called extravagancies, nor with the stiff and precise who cannot see into it, nor with those who are in terror lest they be also taken, nor with those who, like their masters, are roaring with wild desperation. The Sabbath school at the U. P. Church, Buckie has increased from 50 to nearly 200; at Portessie, a Sabbath school has been opened with 180 children. Prayer meetings everywhere abound here and in the neighbouring villages. I should mention that Mr Turner, the prime instrument in this movement, is a man of true humility and piety; full of faith—deals faithfully with all, be they ministers, elders, or people—high or low, rich or poor—and the Lord has greatly honoured him. Nor can less be said of that truly good man, the Rev. Mr Barras, of the U. P. Church; indefatigable in his exertions, and evidently sent here by the kind hand of his Divine Master at this solemn and interesting juncture. And what a change in the town at large! Feuds and animosities done, away with—brotherly love and kindly feeling where before were anger and hatred. I forgot to mention that prostrations have taken place without coming to the U. P. Hall at all, even in private houses, without any pre-expectation; nay, more, boats' crews have come to shore in a converted state. The Spirit has come upon them while at sea, and they have knelt in prayer at the bottom of the boats. The work is also extending to the country. The Free Church in Deskford has been wonderfully honoured and visited—the Rev. Ker going heartily into the work, and the Lord daily adding to his church. At Portknockie, somewhere about 900 have joined the temperance cause. Public houses have been converted into Bethels. At Findochty, I understand that, with but few exceptions, the whole village may be said to have found the truth. At Portessie, the majority of the people are rejoicing. Port Gordon is pleading for more effects; as is also Buckie, although these two latter places have cause to be greatful. There are multitudes in Buckie who have got the blessing; there are numbers of anxious inquirers, and also there are numbers who still scoff and deride. Truly the Lord has appeared in behalf of his people, who are now rejoicing after many years of dearth and spiritual destitution. Let all the people of God forever along with us, let their hearts be cheered with such glorious news; let their faith be, and, lastly, let them give praise to that sweet and hallowed name, which alone imparts peace to all his dear saints on earth."
From the 'Revival Newspaper', Volume II, page 102.
Additional Information
The revival began here.