the time the lay-preachers had reached Sutherland on their itinerary, they were convinced that in many places these various groups were the
42lbid., pp. 78-79. ^^ibid., p. 48.
central means of maintaining and propagating true religion. Hence, these societies had, to a certain extent, prepared the way for the lay-preaching experiment. They had created an atmosphere in which Haldane and his associates were wholly welcomed and encouraged. In his cognitive study, The Evangelical Movement in the Highlands of Scotland, 1688 to 1800, John Maclnnes has sunmiarized the developing position of the evangelical laymen in these words: " . , , from 1750 the godly laity of the Highlands, rather than the clergy, are the tenacious defenders of what they conceive to be the true Evangelical tradition. In this role the laity, with or without clerical champi onship, showed that they could act as an organized body under their own lay leaders, and conduct what amounted to an anti-clerical
c a m p a i g n , F o r the lay-preachers, the time was ripe for their tour. The new element of ardent evangelical laymen found in Haldane, Aikman, and Rate the aggressive, enthusiastic leadership which they were seek ing. Literally thousands and thousands of people in the Highlands and in the Orkney isles attended the services. Undoubtedly there were many in those crowds who were merely curious and indifferent. Also, as has already been pointed out, there were those who attended
the services to oppose the lay-preaching. But the fact remains that there was evident support and sizeable enthusiasm for the itinerants nearly everywhere they travelled. Though not in sympathy with the endeavour, Andrew J. Campbell credited the movement undertaken by
Haldane and his associates as "important historically as an outstanding manifestation of the new zeal which had been set in m o t i o n , T h e
44john Maclnnes, The Evangelical Movement in the Highlands of Scotland, 1688 to 1800, pp. 98-99.
^^Andrew J. Campbell, Two Centuries of the Church of Scotland, p. 160.
itinerants themselves returned to Edinburgh greatly encouraged. They concluded that "the people, almost in every place, seem willing to receive, and thankful for instruction. The fields are truly white to harvest.
While James Haldane was touring northern Scotland, his elder brother, Robert, was attempting to organize a missionary journey to India. Robert had been converted gradually to Christianity after being aroused by the events and ideas of the French Revolution which caused him "to consider everything anew." In 1796, Robert Haldane joined the London Missionary Society which had been founded by his friend. Dr, David Bogue. Thereafter, R. Haldane concentrated his efforts upon the necessary arrangements for a missionary expedition to India, Stopped from fulfilling his ambition by the failure to receive proper permission from the authorities in India, Robert turned his attention and active support to missionary work at home. On 20th December, 1797, James and Robert Haldane, John Aikman, Joseph Rate, and several other interested persons met in Edinburgh to discuss the means by which the work begun by the tour of the lay-preachers could be followed and extended. This was the beginning of "The Society for Propagating the Gospel at home". The society was patterned after the Hampshire Association which had been established by Dr. Bogue in England, Less than a month later, 11th January, 1798, the first General Meeting of the S.P.G.H. was held in Edinburgh. Twelve laymen were placed as the Board of Directors. A plan was formed to train and assign young men as itinerants and catechists to preach without support of public offerings, to establish Sabbath-evening schools, and to distribute religious tracts. This, proposal was published in a
paper entitled, "Address to the Faithful in Christ Jesus". In this initial public announcement, the directors of this non-denominational society declared: "'It is not our design to form or to extend the influence of any sect. Our sole intention is, to make known the everlasting Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. In employing Itinerants, schoolmasters, or others, we do not consider ourselves as conferring ordination upon them, or appointing them to the pastoral office. We only propose, by sending them out, to supply the means of grace,
y
wherever we perceive a deficiency.'" The Missionary Magazine became the printed voice of the society. Its editor, Grenville Ewing, had preached a sermon to the Society for Gratis Sabbath Schools meeting in Lady Glenorchy's Chapel, Edinburgh, on 24th December, 1797. The discourse, "A Defence of Itinerant and Field P r e a c h i n g , w a s later published and was advertised as a sermon which had "excited a pretty strong and general sensation" when it had been heard. During the first year of the S.P.G.H. several assignments were carried out. Mr, Rate toured in Fife. John Cleghorn and Mr, Ballantyne journeyed north into Caithness to follow-up the work of the Haldane, Ailcman, Rate tour of the year before, Alexander MacKenzie, a Gaelic catechist, was assigned to establish Sabbath schools in the Northern Highlands, after which he was sent on a mission to the Western Isles, James Haldane, Ailtman, and Hugh Ross itinerated in Perthshire. Ross, another Gaelic catechist, went on to work in Inveraray. Three more Gaelic catechists were assigned to Perthshire. In June, J. Haldane and Aikman began a journey which took them west through Peebles, Biggar, Hamilton, and Greenock; then south into Ayrshire and Galloway; and returning by
^^Matheson, |o£. cit., p. 162.
way of Berwick. It is particularly noteworthy to observe that the two laymen adopted a new policy with regard to the practice of cen suring parish ministers. Through the Missionary Magazine they
declared that they were "resolved to confine ourselves in our intended journey to the declaration of what we consider as the truth of God,
49
without making personal remarks on any individual." Nevertheless, according to the Haldanes' biographer, "in some places they encountered more opposition than before, and especially at Ayr, where Mr, J.
Haldane was interrupted in preaching at the market-cross, and summoned before the magistrates, who had been incited to i n t e r f e r e . D u r i n g
this same year, J. Haldane, Aikman, and Rate published their Journal of a. Tour Through the Northern Counties of Scotland and the Orkney Isles, in Autumn 1797. The book passed through three editions, one of which consisted of 5,000 copies. Thus, their rather severe charges against parish ministers were in print and widely circulated. Allied to these activities of the S.P.G.H. was the growth of Sabbath School societies in the principal towns of Scotland, These were almost
entirely independent of ministerial superintendence. While the Sunday school primarily sought to reach children, their parents and other adults were also urged to attend. The meetings were similar, to evan gelistic services. The volunteer teacher was assisted by members of the local committee who participated in the devotional service and delivered a short discourse. Accordingly, as Gavin Struthers pointed out, the Sabbath school meeting "was just a modification of the system of lay preaching, and was intended at little expense, as no salaries were to be given, to diffuse the gospel, and make private Christians
49 Alexander Haldane, op. cit., p. 194, SOlbid., p. 198.
51