THE Rev. John Willison of Dundee was one of the outstanding Scottish Evangelical ministers in the first half of the 18th century. At one time his works such as his Treatise Concerning the Sanctification of the Sabbath; The Afflicted Man’s Companion; Sacramental Directory; Plain Catechising on the Assembly’s Shorter Catechism; The Balm of Gilead; Sacramental Meditations; The Mother’s Catechism, and his Fair and Impartial Testimony were well known and eagerly read by the God-fearing people of Scotland. He was born in 1680 near Stirling but there are no definite records concerning his early years. He was called to and ordained minister of Breechin in 1703. He had special gifts in catechising as his numerous catechisms indicate, The Mother’s Catechism being the best known of these. He was translated to Dundee in 1718 in which town he spent the rest of his days. Though one of the most pious of the Scottish ministers he was not a peace-at any price man; he did not hesitate to enter the lists and smite the enemies of the truth hip and thigh when the occasion demanded it. He was well-equipped to deal with his opponents as he was master of the matters that entered the controversial field in which he engaged. The Moderate Party were now in the ascendancy in the Church of Scotland, and like the infatuated royal Stuart race did not rest until they brought disaster on themselves and endless trouble on others. One step of stupid despotism after another on their part, led on until the deposition of the Secession Fathers. In 1733 the year of the Secession Willison preached a sermon on “The Church’s Danger” in which he strongly criticised the conduct of the Church Courts. He called upon the Moderate Party to repent and mend their ways, as the only way to avert the heavy judgment of God. Though he belonged to the same school as the Secession Fathers he did not see his way to separate from the Church of Scotland in 1733. He did all he could to get reforms introduced into the Church but the Seceders rejected the invitation asking them to return. Willison was overwhelmed with grief at the outcome of events. In 1742 as stated in the articles on the Kilsyth revival he preached a sermon which was blessed to many and which Mr. Robe says produced the first direct movement towards the revival at Kilsyth. In 1744 appeared what he regarded as his dying testimony generally known as A Fair and Impartial Testimony but whose full title was: “A Fair and Impartial Testimony; Essayed in name of a number of ministers, elders, and Christian people of the Church of Scotland, unto the laudable principles, wrestlings, and attainments of that Church; and against the backslidings, corruptions, divisions, and prevailing evils, both of former and present times. And namely, the defections of the Established Church, of the Nobility, Gentry, Commons, Seceders, Episcopalians, etc. Containing a brief Historical Deduction of the chief Occurrences in this Church from the beginning to the year 1744, with Remarks; and humble Pleadings with our Mother Church, to exert herself to stop Defection and promote Reformation.” The title gives a good idea of the subject of the work. Mr. Willison certainly does not spare the various denominations that come under review and if these were super-sensitive they would not entertain very brotherly feelings to the author even though in their innermost heart they felt that his criticisms had a strong element of truth in them. The work is still worth reading as presenting a view of ecclesiastical happenings and movements by an Evangelical minister of the Church of Scotland. Mr. Willison died on 3rd May, 1750.
The Rev. Ralph Erskine whose name appears at the head of this article was the well-known Seceder preacher whose sermons were so highly valued at one time in Scotland. He was a brother of Ebenezer the leader of the Seceders in 1733. Ralph did not join the Secession movement until some years after its inception but he was one of the most prominent of the ministers of that body. Though both Mr. Willison and Mr. Ralph Erskine felt the embitterment that usually accompanies controversy yet it did not destroy the bond of brotherly love existing between these two worthy men. During the mortal illness of Mr. Willison Mr. Erskine paid his brother a visit. While both were speaking of the happy country where the saints are perfect in knowledge and see eye to eye a lady present, a warm adherent of the Church of Scotland, but perhaps not blessed with too much discretion, interjected the remark: “Ay, Mr. Erskine, there will be no Secession in heaven.” “Oh! madam,” came the quick reply, “you are under a mistake; for in heaven there will be a complete secession from all sin and sorrow.” “With pleasure,” added Mr. Willison, “do I adopt that view of secession.”
It was during Mr. Willison’s last illness that two touching letters passed between these men of God which we now present to our readers. The first of the letters was addressed by Mr. Erskine to Mr. Willison and is as follows: “Dunfermline, February 7th, 1750. Very rev. and dear Brother, Having heard from my brother Mr. Johnston that your distress and weakness of body continues to increase, and that since the time I last saw you, you have come to no greater measure of health, but rather seem to be hastening nearer and nearer to your change, I thought proper to show my sympathy with one for whom I always had a great regard. Whatever differences have taken place anent some things, by reasons of different degrees of light in the dark valley of the world, yet it never lessened my esteem of you, as one that, I was persuaded, desired to be faithful to the truth and interest of our Lord Jesus Christ, and whom I hope the Lord will now ripen to make ready for the full enjoyment of Himself. Rev. dear brother, I hope that as you have taken up your rest by faith in Christ as the Lord your righteousness and strength, so when heart and flesh shall fail you, you will, through grace, lay your head in His bosom, and remain confident in this, that whatever winds blow or waves beat, even amid the swellings of Jordan, your rock remains firm and immovable; and that you shall endure as seeing Him that is invisible, when all visible and sensible things give way and disappear, until faith issue in fruition. This being all the bearer’s time allows me to add, I remain, very rev. and dear Brother, yours very affectionately, Ralph Erskine.”
The dying man now within sight of the Holy City, was deeply touched by the kindly and brotherly tone of the letter, and made the following acknowledgment: “Dundee, 13th February, 1750. Very rev. and dear Brother, I thank you sincerely for your most Christian sympathising letter by Mr. Johnston to me, a poor dying man, who am still drawing nearer to my change; and I thank you for the particular regard you express to me, notwithstanding of the different degrees of light in the dark valley of this world. May the back-view of these make us to long to be ripened for that world of light where divisions have no place. Though I sometimes aimed to be concerned for the truth and interest of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to appear as I could for the same, yet I renounce all these appearances, and all my other doings, as filthy rags, and desire only to take up my rest in Christ as the Lord my righteousness and strength, and to lay down my head in his bosom, when my heart, flesh and strength fail me, as they are daily doing, Oh! let me just die, like Simeon, with Jesus in my arms, saying: Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace; mine eyes have seen thy salvation. I acknowledge my attainments are small, and manifestations few, yet sometimes I would be for saying: ‘I will remember the Lord from the land of Jordan, the Hermonites, and the Hill Mizar;’ though in the meantime I would flee from all past experiences to a present offered Christ, and a present offered perfect righteousness, and depend entirely thereon. I rest, I hope, I live on this righteousness; I die, leaning and resting wholly on this bottom; all other bottoms are false and deceiving. I desire also to die, like Moses and Aaron, at the foot and commandment of the Lord. Though they wished to be over Jordan to see the glory of the Promised Land, yet God denied it to them but made it up abundantly, by giving them presently the glory of heaven. So, though I may not see the glory of Christ’s kingdom coming here on earth, yet I will submit and die at His command; praying that you and many thousand others may see it, and my loss be made up with Jesus Himself forever. Farewell, dear brother in Christ. May the Lord grant us a happy meeting with Jesus in the Promised Land, where we shall mutually rejoice in Him, and embrace one another without a grudge. Surely there is nothing here tempting to make us draw back, or desirous to stay. Alas! I see nothing but a daily continued back-sliding into the pit of corruption. May the Lord Himself pity. My weakness causes me to break off, and only add, that I remain, rev. dear Brother, your affectionate dying Brother in the Lord, John Willison.”
It was after this manner these Christian warriors of old saluted each other when their battles were over and as they stood on the banks of the Jordan and within the sight of the Holy City before passing over.