History of the Irish (Presbyterian) Church from the Reformation to the Great Revival of 1625 (5)

From Scotch and Irish Seeds in American Soil by Rev. J. G. Craighead

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CHAPTER VI. … continued

Among the most efficient and useful of these clergymen were the Presbyterian ministers from Scotland. Persecuted at home, they found a refuge and a welcome across the Channel. Of these pioneer laborers were—Edward Brice, who for opposing Archbishop Spotiswood’s attempt to introduce prelacy into Scotland was obliged to leave the kingdom; Robert Cunningham, of whom Livingstone said that “he was the one man who most resembled the meekness of Jesus Christ in all his carriage that I ever saw;” James Glendenning, under whose preaching the great revival of 1625 began; the celebrated Robert Blair, formerly professor in the College of Glasgow; and the devoted James Hamilton, nephew of Lord Claneboy. Hubbard and Ridge, natives of England, were men of kindred spirit.

These seven brethren possessed the true missionary spirit, and began at once the work of evangelizing the land, and with extraordinary success. The spirit in which they were received, even by the highest clergy in the Church, is to be seen by the conduct of Bishop Echlin, who was himself a native of Scotland. It was known to both Mr. Blair’s patron, Lord Claneboy, and to the bishop, that Mr. Blair had conscientious scruples respecting episcopal ordination. But when the latter applied for ordination, the bishop said to him, “I hear good of you, and will impose no conditions on you. I am old and can teach you ceremonies, and you can teach me substances, only I must ordain you, to comply with the law. Whatever you account of episcopacy, yet I know you account a presbytery to have divine warrant. Will you not receive ordination from Mr. Cunningham and the adjacent brethren, and let me come in among them in no other relation than that of a presbyter?” “This,” said Blair, “I could not refuse, and so the matter was performed.”

The labors of these faithful and pious ministers were remarkably blessed. A revival of religion soon occurred, which, in some of its features, resembled the great work of grace that subsequently attended the ministry of Whitefield and Wesley in England, and a similar awakening in this country at a later period. It began in connection with the preaching of Mr. Glendenning, the weakest and the least discreet of the seven pioneer ministers, and extended over nearly the entire northern part of Ireland. Almost his only theme in preaching, says Blair, was “law, wrath and the terrors of God for sin.” “And, indeed, for this only was he fitted, for hardly could he preach any other thing. He was a man who would never have been chosen by a wise assembly of ministers, nor sent to begin a reformation in this land. Yet this was the Lord’s choice to begin with him the admirable work of God.” The truths which he proclaimed were what was needed “to awaken the consciences of a lewd and secure people.” Wonderful spiritual results followed. Multitudes were brought to see their sinful and lost condition, and to cry out in their anguish of soul for deliverance. “I have seen them myself,” says Blair, “stricken into a swoon by the word—yea, a dozen in one day carried out of doors as dead—so marvelous was the power of God, smiting their hearts for sin, condemning and killing.” Some of the boldest and most incorrigible, who had attended the meetings to scoff and oppose, were subdued and cried out for mercy. The same authority states that “multitudes who sinned and still gloried in it, because they feared no man, became patterns in society, fearing to sin because they feared God.”

The revival spread rapidly in all directions. Some of high rank and standing were numbered among the converts. The ministers made the most of these favorable opportunities to sow the seed, and reaped an abundant harvest. The awakened and inquiring people thronged to hear them preach, and by the judicious counsels and labors of the clergy the converts were instructed and established in the faith. Monthly meetings were appointed at convenient points, at which large numbers assembled. The hearers sometimes came even from a distance of thirty or forty miles.

Intelligence of the remarkable awakening having reached Scotland, a number of prudent and faithful ministers came over to the help of the exhausted laborers. Among these was Josias Welsh, a grandson of John Knox, formerly professor in the University of Glasgow, which situation he resigned on account of his nonconformist principles. His spirit resembled in no slight degree that of the illustrious Scotch Reformer, Knox, as the testimony of Blair shows: “The last time I was in Scotland I met him; and finding of how zealous a spirit he was, I exhorted him to hasten over to Ireland, where he would find work enough, and I hoped success too. A great measure of that spirit which wrought in and by the father” and the grandfather “rested on the son.” Acting on Mr. Blair’s advice, he came to Ireland in 1626, and took charge of Mr. Glendenning’s parish, which had become vacant by the latter’s departure to visit the seven churches of Asia. Here and at Templepatrick “he convinced the secure and sweetly comforted those that were dejected, and had many seals to his ministry.”

Other clergymen of like spirit followed Welsh. Of these were Andrew Stewart, George Dunbar, Henry Colwort, John McClelland, John Semple, and the celebrated John Livingstone, whose name has become historic from his connection with the kirk of Schotts. These additional ministers were of great service to the settled pastors, and through them the revival was greatly extended. Most of them were from Scotland, where they had suffered from prelatical bigotry; and finding freedom in their land of exile, they labored with great zeal and success. Livingstone was ordained by Bishop Knox, and with an indulgence most honorable to that distinguished prelate. With letters from Lord Claneboy, the earl of Wigton and others, he repaired to the bishop, who at once divined the object of his visit. “He told me,” writes Livingstone, “that he knew my errand, that I came to him because I had scruples against episcopacy and ceremonies, as Welsh and some others had done before, and that he thought his old age was prolonged for little other purpose but to do such offices; that if I scrupled to call him ‘my lord’ he cared not much for it; all he would desire of me, because they got there but few sermons, was that I would preach at Ramallen the first Sabbath, and that he would send for Mr. Cunningham and two or three other neighboring ministers to be present, who after sermon should give me imposition of hands; but although they performed the work, he behoved to be present.” The latter was necessary to fulfill the requirement of the government. To accommodate still further the scruples of Mr. Livingstone, the bishop gave him the book of ordination and desired him to draw a line over whatever he objected to, and assured him it should not be read. “But,” says Livingstone, “I found it so marked by some others before that I needed not mark anything.”

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