Parish life in the north of scotland
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| I shall now mention some of the individuals among my flock at Achness. About the middle of the 18th century there lived a generation of very godly men all over that district, though when I came amongst them but few of their type of Christian character remained. I shall particularly mention William Calder, John MaclIn, William Mackay, and Alexander Mackay, as with them I became personally acquainted during my ministry at Achness.
William Calder was a native of Ardclach, Nairnshire, and came to Strathnaver about the year 1786 as a teacher in the service of the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge. His school was, during the days of my childhood, at the place of Rhiloisk, a pendicle on the east bank of the Naver, about four miles from Achness. After our mother's death, my father sent both my sisters as pupils to his school, boarding in his house. In course of time the Society removed their school from that station, when Mr. Calder, who was then out of employment, went to reside at Tongue. Some years thereafter he was appointed catechist of that parish, and subsequently of Strathnaver, Durness, and Strathhalladale. William Calder was a man of considerable strength of mind. His judgment was solid, his powers of perception clear and comprehensive, and his knowledge of divine things extensive, accurate, and profound. He could express himself with great terseness, both in Gaelic and English, on subjects of Scripture doctrine and Christian experience. But he was chiefly distinguished for his fervent piety; it was a fire ever burning, a light ever shining, a pure limpid stream never ceasing to flow. He was often my guest at Achness, and his conversation was edifying and refreshing. On one occasion he visited, along with me, the sick-bed of a dying woman. He knelt at her bedside and prayed, and words of supplication more suitable, comprehensive, and earnest are rarely heard in such circumstances. His peaceful and peace-making character was often severely tested. A sect existed in those days which, while professing to remain within the pale of the Church of Scotland, at the same time separated itself from its communion and other public ordinances. The founder of this sect was Peter Stewart, who lived in Strathmore of Caithness, but who afterwards, in capacity of catechist, went to reside, first in the parish of Croy, and then in the vicinity of Inverness. Its tenets were: that divine influences were denied to ordinances administered by the ministers of the church on account of their secularity; and that the duty of all, who had in any measure felt the power of divine truth, was to separate themselves from the public ministry of word and ordinances, and to attach themselves to the leaders of the sect, who would read and expound Scripture to then. Those leaders were men of considerable talent; they made a very strict and imposing religious profession, and arrogated to themselves almost exclusively an experimental knowledge of the truth by divine teaching. Their influence among the people was therefore almost paramount, and even the truly pious were in great measure carried away by them. Their influence was promoted by various causes. The public ministry of the Word in that portion of the church was, it must be admitted, in a very declining state, and far from being either vital or efficient. Then, the leaders themselves were too much countenanced by old men of eminent piety and long-standing Christian character, such as John Grant of Strathy, whom I have already mentioned. With this sect William Calder, could not fully agree. Their unscriptural and extravagant notion of a church without a stated ministry he decidedly opposed; yet with all of then, whether leaders or followers, who he could believe were walking according to the truth, he lived on terms of Christian amity. It was when he came into contact with such of them as were of a fierce and contentious character that the peaceful spirit of the gospel developed itself in him in all its strength, and, like a warns and plentiful summer shower, extinguished the kindling fire. One of those Separatists, at whose house he called on a certain occasion, fastened on him a keen and angry controversy for giving so much countenance to graceless ministers by his attendance at their public sacraments, and he went on with such a reckless strain of abuse as to work himself up into a violent passion. William Calder heard him patiently and answered him not a word, but, seizing a bible which lay on a table, he solemnly asked the divine blessing, sang, read, and prayed. His angry antagonist was subdued and melted even to tears. "Son of peace," said he, throwing himself on his neck and weeping, "while others with their idle tattle would only have supplied fuel to my too hot and angry spirit, you, in the spirit and service of your Master, have calmed and humbled it. " Mr. Calder lived to an advanced age, and to almost the last day of his existence he was engaged in his calling. He died at Strathhalladale in 1829, after a -very few days' illness. When death approached he addressed these words to his body and his soul: Now, said he, you have been long together, peacefully united in the mortal tie. That is now to be dissolved, and you must part. God bless you both, and may you have a happy and a blessed meeting at the resurrection. So saying, he yielded up his spirit. With John Mackay, or MacIan, I was from childhood intimately acquainted. In personal appearance he was a tall, venerable-looking man. He resided at Scaill in Strathnaver, and was catechist of the Ach-na-h'uaighe district for nearly forty years. It is among my earliest remembrances to have seen him at Kildonan, busy in the little garret, making a pair of leathern gaiters for my father, to whom he was warmly attached. His mind was brought under saving impressions of the truth during the ministry of Mr. Skeldoch of Farr, a very unpopular man when first settled there, but afterwards a useful and highly-honoured servant of God. 1: John MacIan was warmly attached to all earnest Christian, William Mackay, or "Uilliam Shaoir", as he was usually called from his place of Saor, or Syre, in Strathnaver, whose praise was in all the churches as one of the burning lights of the five northern counties. With this eminent individual John MacIan lived on terms of the closest fellowship. As a catechist John stood at the head of all his contemporaries. He carefully instructed the people in the questions of the Shorter Catechism, taking care that they should repeat them accurately and that, by his judicious explanations, they should fully understand the doctrines stated in them. His favourite subject, however, was faith - the duty of man but the work of God, in its exercises, struggles, trials, triumphs, and fruits; and he had much tenderness and sympathy with those who, he knew, had a root of true faith in them without being aware of it themselves. The people of Achness received me as their pastor on John's recommendation. After the people were turned out of the Strath in 1819, John Maclan retired to a small and almost ruinous hovel on the heights of Kildonan at a place called Bad-an-t sheobhaig. He, along with others, was offered a lot of land at the mouth of the Naver, but he preferred to end his days at this lonely spot, chiefly that he might be buried in the adjacent cemetery of Achanneccan, with which he h solemn associations. His wish was granted, and when he died in 1820, at the age of 84, his mortal remains were laid as he had desired. William Mackay, commonly called Achoul, from the farm on the banks of Loch Naver, which he and his progenitors of the Clan Abrach had for many generations possessed, was another distinguished member of my congregation at Achness. If John Maclan was remarkable for the strength, William Aehoul was none the less so for the childlike simplicity, of his faith. When a very young man he had deep convictions of sin, by which he lost all his peace of mind and even his sleep at night. But one evening, after humble prostration, Christ was revealed to him. "He promised to save me, I took Him at his word, and He has not allowed me once to doubt Him, not even for an hour, and that is sixty years ago. "In recounting to me the incidents of his life, he said that he was about eighteen years of age during the rebellion of 1745. He had been sent on some errand to Dunrobin Castle, and, being permitted to look into the room where the Countess of Sutherland sat, entertaining two of her noble relatives who were of the prince's party, he noticed one of them (he was told it was Lord Elcho) with a stick in his hand attempting to demolish a print of the elector of Hanover which hung upon the wall. He also heard the firing of the musketry in the skirmish at the Little-ferry. He was turned of his hereditary farm of Achoul when the whole district on the south side of Loch Naver was let to Marshall and Atkinson, from Northumberland, for a sheep-grazing by Campbell of Crombie, factor on the Sutherland estate from 1810 to 1812. William Achoul took a small farm afterwards on the north bank of the loch at Grumbeg. There his wife died, and he laid her lifeless remains in the churchyard at Achness. As he took his last look of the rapidly disappearing coffin, "Well Janet," said he, "the Countess of Sutherland can never flit you any more." Had he lived to hear of the dreadful doings at the reconstruction of Dornoch Cathedral, by the orders of this heartless woman, he might not have been so sure that even in her narrow house his Janet was altogether beyond another summons of removal from the same ruthless hand. His eldest daughter was married to a young man from Aberdeenshire, who had come to Achness as a teacher for the Christian Knowledge Society. He had boarded at Achoul in William Mackay's house, and, though he knew not a word of Gaelic, he noticed and was deeply impressed with the warm and unsophisticated piety of his host. He applied himself to the task of acquiring the Gaelic tongue with the whole energies of a highly-gifted mind. He also made daily progress in the Christian life, and engaged in prayer alternately with his father-in-law in the family and at fellowship meetings. The teacher stay died under the excellent Alexander Urquhart of Rogart, who was then stationed at Achness, and rapidly acquired the knowledge of Latin and Greek, thus preparing himself for the University. He was well on in life when he entered King's College, passing through the curriculum there, and studying for three sessions at the Hall, when he was licensed by the Presbytery of Tongue to preach the gospel. The individual thus prepared by God in circumstances of comparative obscurity was none other than the late Mr. John Robertson, minister of Kingussie in Badenoch, a man who became a most distinguished ornament of the Scottish Church. Soon after he was licensed to preach he was appointed to the mission at Berriedale, afterwards to the Chapel of Ease in Rothesay, and ultimately, in 1810, was settled minister of Kingussie, where he closed his life 4th March, 1825, aged 68 years. Old William Achoul lived to a patriarchal age. When turned out again in 1819 he went with a daughter and her husband, with whom he had lived at Grumbeg, to reside near Wick, where he died at the age of 101. Alexander Mackay, or Alastair Taillear, as he was usually called, and his brother Murdoch, were among my first acquaintances. On commencing my ministry at Achness Alastair lived at Trudarscaig, but when expelled from thence he lived at Farr. He was one of the first of those pious men to whom I freely communicated the doubts and perplexities of my mind in regard to my personal knowledge of divine truth, and to the office and calling of the ministry. He dealt both tenderly and faithfully with me. His brother Murdoch went to Caithness, where he was employed as a catechist in the parish of Latheron. I may also record my reminiscences of the clergy and laity of my acquaintance while I ministered at Achness. Mr. David Mackenzie, minister of Farr, was my immediate predecessor at Achness, previous to his settlement in that parish in 1815. He was the eldest son of Hugh Mackenzie, tacksman of Meikle-Creich, a native of Ross-shire, the elder brother of Mr. William Mackenzie, minister of Tongue. Hugh Mackenzie was a man of eminent piety. His repeated failures as a farmer, however, by which he injured the temporal interests and tried not a little the patience of his best friends, obscured what would otherwise have been a very brilliant Christian character. In his latter days he lived in poverty at the village of Spinningdale, where his son David wrought as a day-labourer in the factory, and in that capacity had arrived at the years of manhood before he thought of directing his views to the ministry. His younger brother Hugh had lived with his uncle at Tongue, and by him been educated and sent to college. David was persuaded by his uncle to prepare himself also for college. I recollect meeting him once at Lairg manse, when he communicated to me his uncle's intentions. He did not then appear to entertain very sanguine hopes of ultimate success, as he lacked early literary training. He, however, made the attempt, and passing through College and Hall, he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Tongue in 1812, and was soon after appointed to Achness. Of him and his brother I have already made mention. His marriage to his cousin, Barbara Gordon, took place a year after his settlement at Farr. As a preacher, he could express himself in Gaelic with much readiness and accuracy, while his views of Divine truth were sound and scriptural. 2: Dr. Hugh Mackenzie, during my stay at Achness, resided constantly at Tongue manse. When the parish of Assent became vacant, by the translation of Mr. MacGillivray to Lairg, he was presented by the patron to the living, and, on the demise of Mr. Walter Ross, he was presented to the parish of Clyne in 1825. I remember being present on that occasion. He was inducted into the charge by Mr. Angus Kennedy of Dornoch, who preached in English, while the Gaelic sermon was preached by my father's successor at Kildonan, Mr. James Campbell. Dr. Mackenzie married first his cousin Nelly, who died at Assent, and afterwards Miss Mackenzie of Old Aberdeen. He had not been many years in Clyne when, by the recommendation of Mr. George Sinclair of Ulbster, he was, in 1828, on the death of Mr. Macdougall of Killin, in Perthshire, presented to that parish. Not long after, as he was returning home in his gig from Taymouth Castle, on the evening of a communion fast-day. the horse took fright, when not far from the manse, and ran off. He was thrown violently out, and expired soon after he had been brought home. Dr. Hugh Mackenzie was a man of gentlemanly and winning manners, he was well-educated and most accomplished in ancient and modern learning, and of a very amiable disposition. His pulpit ministrations were clear expositions of Scripture doctrine, and specimens of finished composition both in English and Gaelic. Mr. Hugh Mackay Mackenzie, the only son of the minister of Tongue, was assistant to his father when I was at Achness. He laboured most assiduously in the pastoral office; but his health was at all times so very indifferent that his father, then near eighty years of age, seemed rather the assistant than his son. Mr. Hugh Mackenzie married his cousin Mrs. Russel, a widow of great sense and prudence, who had seen much good society, and was of a very amiable disposition. The only fruit of the marriage was a son, who was named after his venerable grandfather William. 3: Mr. William Findlater, minister of Durness, son-in-law and immediate successor of Mr. Thomson, I knew very imperfectly. He was the eldest son of the eminent Robert Findlater of Drummond, Ross-shire. His younger brother Robert was then missionary-minister of Loch Tay-side. Mr. William Findlater married Mr. Thomson's youngest daughter, a very handsome woman. This was not a happy marriage; but he found it turn to his spiritual advantage in the decided progress which, through manifold afflictions, he was enabled to make in the Christian life. 4: The only two of my early clerical acquaintances hitherto unnamed are Mr. Murdoch Cameron, minister of Creich, and Mr. Alexander MacPherson, minister of Golspie. Mr. Cameron was the immediate successor of worthy Mr. Renny, after having been for some years his assistant. I have a distinct recollection of his induction. The people, to a man, were opposed to him, and his settlement was one of those violent ones which so much disgraced the Established Church at that period. The parishioners rose en masse, and barred the church against the presbytery, so that the Sutherland Volunteers, under the command of Captain Kenneth Mackay of Torboll, were called out to keel) the peace. In the riot which ensued, Captain Mackay got his sword, which he held naked in his hand, shivered to pieces by stones thrown at him by an old woman over seventy years of age. The people never afterwards attended Mr. Cameron's ministry, but assembled at the rock of Migdol, and on the banks of the lake, to hear old Hugh Mackenzie already mentioned. Mr. Cameron tried to make the best of it, by employing, on communion occasions, the most popular and eminent ministers of the church who could be found in the north. He still lives, very old, very useless, but very wealthy. 5: Mr. Alexander MacPherson, minister of Golspie, was a native of Ross-shire, and was the immediate successor of Mr. William Keith. Previous to his settlement, he was for some years rector of Tain Academy. He there married Harriet. second daughter of Donald Matheson of Shiness. She died before his induction to Golspie. The people of that parish petitioned the patrons for me, but they met with a peremptory refusal; and MacPherson, on the application of his wife's uncle, John Mackay of Rockfield, was appointed to the charge. He had not been many years there, however, when, seized with a morbid melancholy, he resigned his charge, and retired to his native parish. Donald Ross, the present minister of Loth, was presented by the patrons; but, just as he was about to be inducted by the presbytery, Mr. MacPherson came back upon them, and entered a protest against the proceedings. The case was ultimately carried to the General Assembly, and he was restored to his pastoral office. In creed Mr. MacPherson was an Arminian, and as a preacher was cold and uninteresting. 6: I may dismiss my acquaintances among the laity in a few words. Captain John Mackay, of an infantry regiment, then lived at Syre, in Strathnaver. He was the only son of the eminently pious William Mackay by his first marriage. He had seen much service in the army abroad during the first of the Spanish campaigns, and when he retired on half-pay he came to reside in his native parish. He was appointed factor for Strathnaver by the Marquis of Stafford, with a salary of £120, which, combined with his half-pay, afforded him in that sequestrated spot a comfortable income. His father's house was then occupied by his widow and her family-two sons and a daughter. When he got his appointment as factor he built a neat addition to the cottage in which his stepmother resided. His half-brothers he sent to the West Indies. His eldest sister was married, a year or two before I came to Achness, to John Mackintosh, a native of Durness, of the Reay Fencibles. He lived at Syre, and was catechist of one of the districts of Latheron in Caithness, and of the parish of Daviot in Invernessshire. He was a fluent and elegant speaker in Gaelic, and the intimate associate of Peter Stewart, one of the most violent of the Separatists. Captain Mackay's sister was his second wife. Her brother procured for them a good small farm in his immediate neighbourhood, but it was at the expense of turning out an infirm old man, Alexander Mackay, married to a sister of Thomas Breacachadh. This was, however, the only harsh thing which I knew Captain Mackay to do whilst he held the office. He was a warm-hearted and most gentlemanly man, and, residing as I was in his immediate neighbourhood, I very much enjoyed his society. He often refreshed me with reminiscences of his eminent father. After the people of Strathnaver were cleared out to make way for the sheep in 1819, Captain Mackay was appointed factor for Strathy, in the north-cast of the parish of Farr towards the shore. He relinquished this office in favour of Lieutenant Mackenzie, who married his second sister, and he himself went to America. When in Aberdeen in 1820 I saw him so far on his way. His errand thither was to get married. Many years previously he was with his regiment near Halifax, Nova Scotia, and when there became acquainted with a young lady, daughter of a wealthy merchant. They conceived a mutual attachment, and were to be married; but her father forbade the union on the ground of the young man's comparative poverty. The lady, however, refused to marry any other, and in course of time her father died, leaving to his only child his whole fortune. Although at the time of his death she was no longer young, yet she did not forget her youthful attachment. She wrote accordingly to a friend of hers in Scotland, making enquiries about Captain Mackay, and adding that, if he were unmarried and remembered her, she was unmarried and had not forgotten him. Captain Mackay went to America, was married to the lady, lived in great affluence, and became a member of the Provincial Parliament; but his health suddenly gave way, and be died in 1823. His widow long survived him, and, with her cordial concurrence, considerable sums of money were, in accordance with his will, transmitted from time to time to his relatives in Strathnaver. My next neighbour, and often my kind entertainer, was Robert Gordon, tacksman of Langdale. As already mentioned, this gentleman wars married to the eldest daughter of Mr. William Mackenzie of 'Tongue, the fruit of their marriage being an only daughter, Barbara, who married Mr.David Mackenzie, minister of Farr. Mr. Gordon possessed the farm of Langdale not only from the proprietor of the soil, but also from his own ancestors, who were tacksmen or wadsetters thereof. His remote ancestor was one of the Gordons, who were placed there by the Earl of Sutherland when be purchased the lands of Strathnaver from Donald, first Lord Reay. The Robert Gordon of my time was the last of his race. He was a kind old man, intimately acquainted with the simple annals of the church in times past. In youth he had known Mr. George Munro of Farr and all the worthies of the Reay country. He had stored in his memory all their sayings and doings, their views of Divine truth, and their remarkable experiences. His house, a rustic cottage, stood on a fairy-like knowe, on the banks of the Naver, and was freely open to all corners of every rank. His farm was parcelled out among a number of sub-tenants, to whom he granted every indulgence. He had a brother and sister; the former had predeceased him, and the latter kept house for him while I was in the district. His wife died soon after the birth of their only child. She was as much distinguished for her personal attractions as for her piety. For some time before Tier death she was. rather unhappy; unbelief had clouded her past experiences of grace and her hope of glory. William Mackay of Syre was her constant visitor during her illness, and as the end approached he wrestled earnestly in prayer on her behalf. At last the light broke in upon her soul, and she was enabled fully to rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Triumphantly pointing upwards and looking her Christian friend steadfastly in the face, with a smile of joy she yielded up her spirit to Him who gave it. Mr. Gordon of Langdale died a widower. When with the rest of the people, he was turned out of his ancestral home, he went to reside at Farr manse, where, after a lingering illness, he died a few years after. In the Kildonan district of my mission lived also some individuals worthy of special mention. Adam Gordon was tacksman of Griamachdary, and a shrewd, worldly-wise man. He was of the same age as my father, and had a throng family of sons and daughters. His eldest son John rose to the rank of major in the army, was thrice married, was acquainted with the late Duke of Kent, and thus got commissions for his three brothers, William, Adam, and Thomas. Adam Gordon, during my residence at Achness, got a life-rent of his farm. He and his wife lived in the exercise of the most unbounded hospitality, and at the same time economised so as to realise a good deal of money. Their eldest daughter Anne was married to John Mackay from Strathhalladale, who had come to reside with his father-in-law at Griamachdary. John Mackay was one of my father's elders-a kind-hearted and excellent man. He also bad a numerous family, and one of his daughters, afterwards married to Charles Gordon, merchant at Thurso, resided with my sister at Achness. John Mackay now holds the small farm of Clyne-Milton, parish of Clyne. Adam Gordon's second daughter May was married. upwards of thirty years ago, to Joseph Mackay, second son of Angus Mackay, tenant at Dyke, Strathhalladale. By his brother-in-law's interest with the Duke of Kent, he got a commission in the army, went on foreign service, and was present at the battle of Waterloo. He returned on half-pay to reside at Griamachdary with his family about the end of the year 1815, Possessed of considerable acuteness, and a ready speaker in his native tongue, he joined the party of the Separatists, or Stewartites, and became one of their most violent members. He now lives in the parish of Reay, in Caithness. Download 1.26 Mb. Share with your friends:
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