Free Church of Scotland.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE

ON THE

STATE OF RELIGION AND MORALS,

WITH APPENDIX.

MAY 1867.

THE Committee on the State of Religion and Morals have not this year made such extensive inquiries as they did in several former years. It seemed to the Committee that reiterated annual inquiries were apt to become formal, and to be treated accordingly, and that this was specially the case when nothing had occurred in a congregation or district different from what had been reported in reply to former inquiries.

At the same time, the Committee were aware that, in a very considerable number of places in different parts of the country, times of quickening and refreshing, through a gracious work of the Spirit of God, were being enjoyed. And whilst they thought it best not to institute any general inquiries over the whole Church this year, they believed that it would be deeply interesting, and tend to the glory of God, to ascertain and communicate to the Church, through the General Assembly, some of the great things that God, in rich sovereign grace and love, is doing over the land, in rescuing numbers of precious souls from the depths of unbelief and pollution, and bringing them into a state of salvation.

The Convener, therefore, was instructed to put himself in communication with some of those congregations and districts which, it was understood, had been visited with times of refreshing from

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the presence of the Lord. The information that has been received in reply tells of what has every appearance of a real and very remarkable work of the Spirit of God in a number of places.

These times of revival seem to pass over the Church like the tides of ocean, now setting in with a mighty flow, and anon passing away with an ebb. We have not now the general excitement, and the apparent general prevalence, of the revival movement that we had some six or seven years ago. But there is reason to believe not only that in these bygone years very many have been gathered into the believing family of God, but also that throughout the Church, in not a few places, a work of remarkable quickening and revival is still taking place.

The communications received by the Committee from Ministers are from Ministers of the Free Church. Ministers of other denominations have taken an interest in the work in sundry places. But it was with the Ministers of our own Church only that we felt ourselves called upon to correspond in this matter.

The reports are all written in a spirit of great soberness, devoid of excitement; and, whilst manifesting a deep interest in the work, they indicate great care and discrimination on the part of the Ministers. The Committee regard them as entirely trustworthy, and have great confidence, as well as great pleasure, in laying portions of the communications they have received before the Church; the want of room does not admit of giving them in full.

During the past year, there has been a very remarkable work of religious awakening in that district of country which lies on both sides of the Forth and Clyde Canal. Communications have been received from the Ministers of Kilsyth, Cumbernauld, and Larbert, which are full of interest.

Kilsyth has long had a name in the annals of revivals, and it has pleased the Lord again very graciously to visit it. The following is an extract from the account furnished by the minister, the Rev. R. Black. It is dated March 14, 1867. After referring to former revivals under the ministry of Mr. Robe and Mr. Burns, and the subsequent deadness and apathy prevalent in the district, Mr. Black says:

As often happens in the experience of the Church, the time of refreshing came upon us suddenly, if not unexpectedly, and in a manner we had not looked for, and could not indeed have anticipated. Frequently had men, full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, whose labours the Lord had greatly blessed in other quarters, come and spoken to us the words of this life,' without any great and general, indeed without any apparent

result following; Mr. Burns himself, under whose preaching the awakening began in 1839, had come back from China, and on several occasions addressed large and seemingly interested congregations, but still there was no obvious moving among the dry bones. The Lord no doubt designed to teach us that the human instrument is nothing, and the Divine Agent everything; that Paul may plant and Apollos water, but God alone can give the increase. Two evangelists, labouring under the auspices of the Evangelistic Society of Scotland, Messrs. Smith and Nutbrown, till then unknown, at least in Kilsyth, came and preached in the streets; the whole place was stirred, church after church was opened and crowded with anxious hearers, multitudes were awakened, and many professed to be brought to the knowledge of the truth. Owing to remarks which have been made, I think it right to state that neither Mr. Smith nor Mr. Nutbrown ever spoke in the Free or U. P. Church, in which, to say the least, the work was as deep and solid as in those congregations to which their labours were confined.

It was thus that the work began in the autumn of the past year. It was truly the time of harvest in spiritual as well as in natural things. The words of the psalm had come true in our experience, "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.' With the exception of the Established Church, all the churches in the place were open every night of the week, and night after night hundreds came together to hear of the things belonging to their peace. Weavers in their working clothes, women in their caps, young men and maidens, old men and children, might be seen seated devoutly in the house of God, listening hour after hour to the exposition and enforcement of the Word of God.

Speaking of what took place in my own church, there was no excitement, certainly nothing approaching to extravagance, on the part either of the speakers or of those whom they addressed. Usually a sermon was preached as at an ordinary Sabbath service, at the conclusion of which an after-meeting was held, when those who were anxious and desirous to be spoken to were conversed and prayed with. For fully three months this state of things continued; and though at the end of that time the meetings became less frequent, this was not owing to any abatement of interest in the work on the part of those who had been really interested in it, but from the very necessity of the case,- a time of such wide-spread and deep awakening being in its nature transient in its operation, however abiding in its results.

But what, it will naturally be asked, has been the conclusion of the whole matter? What has been the moral and spiritual outcome of the work? The day will declare; but even now we can point to what are, so far as man can judge, true and blessed fruits of this awakening. How many have been saved it would be presumptuous, and it is indeed impossible to say; but this we can say, that hundreds have professed to be converted, and the most of these are still giving every evidence of the sincerity and truth of their profession, by doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. At our communion in November, when the work was still in progress, between fifty and sixty were admitted by me to the membership of the Church, nearly every one of whom professed to have been brought out of darkness into light. To these there fall to be added, as further fruits of this revival in connexion with my own congregation, a very considerable number who had been previously church members, and a large company of young people, whom, though professing

and appearing to rejoice in the Lord, it was not thought prudent to encourage to go forward to the Lord's table in the meantime. Those who presented themselves as young communicants were of all ages, from seventeen to fifty or sixty years old.

As to the effect which the revival has had on Kilsyth generally, I cannot speak very definitely and decidedly. During its progress there was a marked, a very manifest, improvement in the aspect of the place. The sounds of drunken revelry that had been so common, especially on the Saturday nights, almost entirely ceased, and a decency and decorum were observable in the streets, presenting a very pleasing contrast to the former state of things. I cannot say that this improvement has been altogether permanent, but to a considerable extent it still continues. Most of the churches are greatly better attended than formerly; persons who had been living in the neglect of ordinances, or who had been very irregular in their observance of them, have become most exemplary as regards both the more private and the more public means of grace. The tone of piety has been raised among the professedly religious, and more of a Christ-like spirit is evinced by those who call themselves his disciples. In addition to my Bible Class and Prayer Meeting, both of which are very largely attended, there are, in connexion with my congregation, two district meetings every Thursday evening, got up and conducted by young men, a meeting on Sabbath morning, and four meetings in different parts of the town in the afternoon of Sabbath, in the interval of morning and evening service. I do not know whether it is the case still, but till lately, at least, the colliers in connexion with some of the pits were in the habit of having a meeting for prayer under ground during the meal hour; surely a very striking illustration of the influence of the work among a class who are generally thought to be the most indifferent and irreligious portion of the community.

This is, so far as it goes, a true and unvarnished tale of the recent work of grace in Kilsyth. When I think of the dangers to which, all experience shows, we shall be exposed after such a season of awakening; when I reflect on the temptations to which the converts, especially the young among them, will be subjected on the part of Satan and a wicked world, I cannot help saying to all God's people, 'Brethren, pray for us.' Pray that those who have made a good confession may be kept steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; that their feet may be kept from falling and their eyes from tears; and that at length the Lord may present them faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.

A similar work, very extensive, remarkable, and interesting, has been going on at Larbert and the adjacent villages. The time and strength of the minister, Mr. M'Pherson, have been tasked to the utmost, but he enjoys an ample reward in what seems clearly to be the ingathering of very many souls into the family of God. We give some extracts from his pretty full and exceedingly interesting report to the Convener. Larbert was, in former times, the parish of the famous Robert Bruce; and, in our own day, of John Bonar, who had a succession of preachers as assistants, whom the Lord Jesus has greatly owned in the work of the ministry-Mr.

M'Cheyne, Mr. Sommerville, Mr. Arnot, and several others. Mr. M'Pherson asks, may not the present shower of blessing be the answer to prayers, and the fruit, in part at least, of seed sown long ago?

A few of God's people did not cease to pray fervently and statedly, both in private and in the weekly congregational prayer-meeting, which has been held every Wednesday evening for many years, that the Lord might revive and extend His work in this place; and there was a deep-rooted conviction entertained by many that He would assuredly visit us in mercy,-a conviction founded on the past labours of God's servants that have been described, and on the assurance that God would hear and answer the prayers offered by His people, and that the means of grace diligently and perseveringly employed in dependence on God's blessing could not fail of being followed by the promised results. Our prayers became more frequent and more earnest, and our anticipations of a blessing, as being near at hand, became still more confident when the reports reached us of the work which the Lord was carrying on at Kilsyth, Cumbernauld, and Dunnipace.

The plan followed was to deliver two or three short addresses in the first meeting, and invite any who were anxious to remain for conversation to a second meeting, which was invariably held. With the exception of two or three evenings at the outset, when I was necessarily absent, I attended all the meetings, presided at them, took part in conducting the services, and remained till the close of the second meeting. This I have continued to do, as I felt responsible for the soundness of the doctrine taught, for the preservation of order and decorum, and that I might be able to bear testimony from my own personal knowledge to all that took place.

The work went on very much in this way for eight weeks, during which we had meetings every evening, conducted in the manner above described; and at the second meeting I have often seen as many as 150 or 200, some of whom were recently awakened, while the greater part professed their faith in Christ.

The meetings have all along been characterized by a calm, earnest, devout attention to the preaching of the Word of God. No one could be present without feeling that an unusual degree of seriousness and solemnity pervaded the audience. There were no physical manifestations of any kind. There was no excitement exhibited but what one would always like to see, consisting in deep poignant grief for sin on the part of those convinced, and great spiritual joy on the part of many who had embraced the Saviour, to which expression was given in songs of thanksgiving and praise.

About the fifth or sixth week, when the work was going forward most powerfully, the whole community appeared to be aroused from the apathy which had previously prevailed. There was more searching of the Scriptures, and more conversation about religious things, than had been formerly known. It was observed that there was a marked suppression of the more open forms of vice, and, in particular, that there had never been so little drunkenness and dissipation observed during the New-Year holidays.

As to results of a more permanent nature, it is proper to speak with becoming caution. It is now, however, upwards of three months since the movement commenced—thus affording considerable data for judging