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A Brief Account of A Tour in the Highlands of Perthshire July 1818

In a letter to a friend by John Brown Minister of the Gospel, Whitburn

To which is added a paper entitled "A Loud Cry From The Highlands", Edinburgh, printed for Ogle, Allardice and Thomson 1818.

Whitburn Aug. 1818

My Dear Friend,

You are sufficiently aware, that for a long course of years, the religious and moral state of our Highland countrymen, has been with me a subject of deep and painful interest.

Living, as I do, in the vicinity of the principal road by which the live stock produced in the north of Scotland, is conveyed to the English markets, I had many opportunities of conversing with the Highlanders employed in driving the cattle; and from my peculiar habits, my inquiries were chiefly directed to the discovery of the degree in which they possessed the means of religious improvement.

The melancholy result of this kind of investigation, was a persuasion that ignorance and immorality were prevalent, in a very great degree, in many of the Highland districts; and an anxiety to ascertain, if possible, more exactly the dimensions of an evil obviously great, and to inquire into the most probable means of removing it.  The more I inquired, the more strongly was I impressed with the powerful claims, our countrymen in the Highlands and Islands, had on the Christian sympathy and assistance of their more highly favoured neighbours; though I could do little more than "sigh in secret” over their privations and miseries, and commit their cause to Him who is “the confidence of the ends of the earth.”

I surveyed with pleasure, the labours of the pious Missionaries and Catechists of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge, as well as those of the conscientious and zealous of the parochial clergy, but I could not help saying, the harvest is great, but the labourers are few; and I prayed “the Lord of the harvest, to thrust out labourers into this harvest.” 

It was, therefore, with no ordinary feelings of delight, that I witnessed the formation and triumphant progress of the Society for the support of Gaelic Schools; and the wide and liberal dispersion of the word of God, by means of the Scottish Bible Society, and the Auxiliaries of that truly august Institution, the British and Foreign Bible Society.  The establishment of a Society in Paisley, for the support of Gaelic Missions, was to me a new source of most pleasing feeling, and I rejoiced that God was allowing me to see much of that good in reference to the Highlanders, which, however eagerly I had desired, I had scarcely dared to hope for.

A most interesting account of a remarkable religious movement in the Highlands of Perthshire, transmitted to me by a valued friend, who has since given the substance of the communication to the public, in two of the religious journals, excited in me an earnest wish to visit that part of the country; and though advancing years, and my multiplied avocations, seemed to dissuade me, I ventured to follow the impulse, and having now, by “the good hand of my God upon me,” returned in safety from my tour, I hasten to give you, according to your request, a short account of the more interesting incidents which occurred during its course.

I left home in company with a friend, and after a pleasing journey through part of the counties of Linlithgow and Stirling, entered the Highland by Callander, an uncommonly beautifully situated village.  Here I called on Mr McLaren, the minister of the independent church, whom I found a friendly, intelligent, and pious man.  Besides preaching regularly in his own meeting-house, I was glad to learn that he itinerates in the neighbourhood, preaching occassionally at Lochearn-head, Killin, and other villages and glens.

He informed me, that Mr Dugald Buchanan, long an eminent teacher, under the Society for Propogating Christian Knowledge, was a native of this place, and that his remains lie in a church-yard in its neighbourhood.  This man, who was possessed of uncommon powers of mind, was in his early days entirely careless about religion, and owed his first serious impressions, under God, to a conversation with a pious fellow Highlander.

“What is your profession, friend?” said the pious man.  “I have none,” replied Dugald, “I am a sheet of white paper.”  “Take care,” retorted the good man, “lest the devil write his name on it.”  This led to serious reflection, and Dugald became a first-rate Christian, and a most useful member of society.  He published some excellent Gaelic poems, (a new edition of which is printing at Glasgow, and a selection from which has been made by the Tract Society there, for distribution among the Highlanders), was a great ornament to the Society who employed him, and of incalculable use to the district in which he lived.

We visited the remains of a Roman camp in this neighbourhood, and could not help wondering at once at the madness and insatiableness of human ambition, which led the inhabitants of Italy so far into the deserts of the north; and at the wisdom and goodness of God, rendering these warlike invaders the pioneers of Messiah, the Prince of Peace.  We learned that the Rev. Legh Richmond, the far-famed author of the Dairyman’s Daughter, the Negro Servant, and the Young Cottager, works which, though small in size, are important for the genius they display, and the good they have done, had been here about a fortnight  before us, and had examined the Sabbath evening school, and given a serious affectionate address to the children.

Mr McLaren earnestly requested me to preach in his chapel on my return.  He readily gives the use of it to the Seceding minister at the Bridge of Teath, and indeed to any minister whom he has reason to think a preacher of the gospel.  I consider myself as much indebted to him for his friendly attentions, and think him a great blessing to Callander, and the neighbouring villages.

He kindly furnished me with directions respecting my journey northward, and with a letter of introduction to a teacher in Killin.  Being so near Loch Katrine, and the Trossachs, which have become objects of general curiosity, from Mr Scott’s making them the scene of most popular of his poems, we took a ride to these romantic places.  We were obliged  often to stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.  The following passage of Scripture occurred to my mind, and appeared singularly beautiful:  “Who has an arm like God”.  “Thy righteousness is like the great mountains, thy judgements are a great deep!  The mountains saw thee and trembled, the everlasting hills did bow.”

We spent the night in Glen Finglas, a pleasant small glen, where a set of people, all of the name of Stewart, have lived for ages, much in the patriarchal style; a people of kind, simple, and yet polished manners.  The uncommonly secluded appearance of this spot, suggested to me the following passages:  “As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people, from this time henceforth and for evermore”.  “Lo, the people shall dwell alone.”  We left some tracts both English and Gaelic, to be distributed by our venerable landlord.

Next day we proceeded northward, taking Lochearn-head in our way.  At this place Mr McLaren from Callander, and the Rev. Mr Gilfillan of Comrie, occasionally preach to considerable audiences.  They had also been favoured repeatedly with sermons from Messrs Ewing and McGavin from Glasgow.  In the inn, where we were treated with marked attention and civility, we were glad to learn, that the family were very ready to attend at prayers, when ministers or other pious travellers lodged there, and that this practice was almost universal in the principle inns in the Highlands.

As Lochearn-head is four miles from the parish school, there is a private school taught there, in which due attention, we were happy to understand, was paid to the religious instruction of the children.  A pious lady of rank, Mrs P-, had lately scattered many tracts here; and after attending divine service in the parish church of Balquhidder, on a fast day, had ordered her servants to give tract to each of the audience as they left the church. 

After a very pleasant ride we reached Killin, a village delightfully situated at the head of Loch Tay, and nearly surrounded with high mountains, where we were most hospitably received by the teacher, to whose good offices we had been recommended.  Besides the parish school, a large private school is taught by our landlord, who also superintends the instruction of many young people in the principles of religion on the Sabbath evenings.  A small society of independents, at present destitute of a pastor, meet here for religious worship.  From personal intercourse with some of them, and from credible report, I could not help respecting these people as a body of serious, useful Christians.

This parish was long blessed with the ministry of an excellent man the Rev Mr Stewart, the father, if I mistake not, of the translator of the Scriptures into Gaelic.  It is hoped the fruits of his exertions yet remain.  We left Killin next morning, and proceeded towards Kenmore, along the south side of Loch Tay.

About seven or eight miles down the Loch, we came to Ardeonaig, the residence of the Rev. Mr Findlater, a minister of the church of Scotland, a missionary on the royal bounty.  From the high character I hear of this gentleman, as a sound, laborious, and godly minister, I used the freedom of calling on him, but found that he was from home.  He has two preaching places; one on the south side, and the other on the north side of the Loch.  In the winter time, he preaches in the alternately.  In the summer, after preaching in one of them during the day, he crosses the Loch, and preaches in the other in the evening.  His labours are numerously attended, and highly prized; and there is reason to believe, that he has been honoured in being instrumental to the conversion and edification of many.

A Sabbath evening school in the neighbourhood of Ardeonaig, is taught under his direction, and is attended by about fifty young people, and a considerable number of persons farther advanced in life.  The catechisms taught, are the Assembly’s Shorter Catechism, with proofs, and Brown’s two brief catechisms in Gaelic.  The attention discovered, and the interest apparently felt in these Sabbath evening exercises, are very pleasing, and promising evidences of seriousness are by no means uncommon.

It is much to be regretted that the chapel at Ardeonaig, originally built by the pious generosity of the late Viscountess Glenorchy, has been a good many years in ruin, so that Mr Findlater and his people are obliged to worship in the open air in all weathers.  It is to be hoped that those to whom such care is entrusted, will not long allow this excellent man and his congregation to labour under so great a hardship.

A few miles farther down the Loch, we saw a tent for preaching in the wood, on the margin of the water, and, on inquiry, found it belonged to independents whose preachers occasionally officiate here, with much advantage to the people.

In the evening, we reached Aberfeldie, a village in the parishes of Dull and Logie east, containing about 900 souls.  While looking about for an inn for ourselves and our horses, Mr Kennedy the independent minister who had been apprized of our intended visit by some mutual friends, observed us, and with much Christian affection, invited us to take up our lodgings in his house.

Here a large parcel of Gaelic tracts from the London Tract Society, was waiting me.  At Mr Kennedy’s request, I preached on the Lors’s day to a numerous and most attentive audience in his chapel.  After administering the Lord’s Supper to his church, he carefully and warmly recapitulated in Gaelic, the discourse I had delivered.  The more I was with Mr Kennedy, the more highly was I disposed to esteem him as a pious man  and a faithful minister.  He has occasionally itinerated extensively in his exertions to spread the gospel in his own immediate neighbourhood.  The people under his care, seem a most respectable body of Christian professors.

In the village of Aberfeldie, Mr Tilloch, a Baptist preacher resides, who is pastor of a small church there, and who spends much of his time in missionary exertions in remoter and more destitute parts of the Highlands, under the patronage of a number of Baptist churches.  He preaches the truth, and bears an excellent character.  Throughout Breadalbane, and its neighbourhood, there are a few small Baptist churches, the members of which seem well disposed conscientious Christians.

On Monday, accompanied by my hospitable host we went to Glenlyon, a long and narrow valley, through the midst of which flows a considerable river of the same name.  Its population amounts to nine hundred or a thousand souls.  It is said to have received its present name, the tinged or dyed glen, from a most sanguinary conflict between two Highland clans, and was often the scene of warlike tumult.  It is now the secure habitation of peace, and in many instances, of holiness.

A most remarkable revival of religion took place here about two years ago.  In consequence of the modesty and prudence of the ministers, who were, under God, the instruments of it, little has been said about it in the periodical religious publications.  But everything about it wore the impress of divine influence, and its consequences have been of the most satisfactory kind.  As one of them, it may be mentioned, that an intimation of sermon, which a few years ago would, with difficulty, drawn together a dozen or two, will now collect the inhabitants by hundreds.

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