These notes were taken down in Gaelic by Mr George Beaton, a native of Back, who was a schoolteacher in Ness Lewis. They were published originally in 1881, under the title, “Gleanings in the Fields,” and more recently under the title, “Question Days in Lewis around 1880” in Gaelic. Mr George Beaton ventured to a Question-Meeting in Lairg, and took notes from some of the men of Sutherland. They are included in the booklet.
If Mr George Beaton took notes of other men or ministers, he omitted them because he wished to keep his booklet brief, and the cost of printing low. One wonders who and what was left out! A broader representation of the men at these meetings, would have been interesting, but we can, from the notes, form some idea of the ministers and men, the views they had of doctrine, and of what the life of a believer should be, and we are persuaded that they practised what they believed. “As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.”
The Question-Meeting was an exercise in self-examination, and was often useful, and edifying, to tried believers. It was with the hope that these notes would be useful, that they were at first published. The translation of them, rough and unpolished, is sent out with the same end in view. — D. C.
Question Day at the Spring Communion in the Parish of Stornoway in 1878.
The service having been begun in the customary way, a portion of the truth as a basis for the “Question” was asked for. The words given are in Ephesians, chapter 1, verse 19, “and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe according to the working of His mighty power.” What was required of the brethren who were called to speak, was Scriptural marks on those who embraced Christ with (by) this power, distinguished from those who deceive themselves with other matters rather than with the power of Christ (or in other things in which the power of Christ is not).
The minister after briefly “opening” the question, called, to speak:
JOHN MACLEAN, CATECHIST,* who said:
It is they only who are given by the Father to the Son, who experience this power. (Great honour is to be given to the Word of God here.) They imagined at first that they themselves had power, but as a mark on them — they are now dependent on the power of God. They thought (once) that they could go with the uprightness that they then had into the presence of God, but as a mark on them — they see the magnitude (weight) of their duties, when their lost state is brought home to them. In brief (for the Kingdom of Heaven is not in words only), others will be satisfied with themselves.
* Born in Ranish, Lochs.
However, the person whom the Lord teaches discovers that He will cast him to Hell if he remains in this state of sin. When he discovers that Christ is offered to Him, this soul is brought to such a point that Christ is seen to be a suitable Saviour for him. The Lord can put this power into ONE of His words to awaken these — and to convert them — the almightiness of God bound up in One word! People will not believe this until God draws near to them.
When the soul is in a state of reconciliation with God, it is no wonder that he is encompassed with fear. When Moses and his God were on the mount, Moses said, “I exceedingly fear and tremble.”
Surely great fear is due unto the Lord in the congregation of the saints. These now, like children, believe that it is through the kingdom of grace that they must go to the kingdom of glory. They learn that they have to be saved from themselves and sin. There are some who have joy — and sorrows. I may deceive myself with the one or the other of them. It is Christ that these need. The Christian would be holy if he could, said Mr Lachlan (MacKenzie).
ALEX MACIVER, LOCHS, who said:
For those who believe, this power begins when God speaks to them in their experience. His voice is then heard as He said to Adam, “Adam where art thou?” The soul was naked, they discovered, far off from God, but there was love in this voice. They were drawn. Some labour in their own strength to repair the breach between them and God, but “Christ and Him crucified” is revealed to these. God gave them ability to close in with Him. They were filled with the things of God — and as the Apostle said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.” They thought, on that particular day, that sin was destroyed in them. That was the day of their espousals. Sad days came after that, but they would not wish the marriage to be annulled! The devil and the world and the flesh came, and Oh! were it not that this power followed them . . .! They are kept by the power of God through faith. “I will not fear though thousands ten, (said David), set round against me be.”
DONALD MACLEAY, BARVAS, who said:
These were beforehand, enemies to life from God, but they were within the bond of the Covenant. They were chosen to be adopted children. Under the power of darkness we all came into the world. Nothing less than the power of the Godhead could convince of that state, that we were dead in trespasses and sins, but when God spoke with power they were moved, like the dry bones that the Lord showed to the prophet, Ezekiel. They were made partakers of the divine nature, a nature from on high, so that they in common, may say “Our Father which art in heaven.” The nature they got through the Fall warred against God. God sent the Word of truth to them with power, as David says, “Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power.” The provision (of God) as over their lost condition, is revealed to them. They saw Him in His offices as being very suitable in what they now experienced, for their state. There are others — in health, at ease as Moab was, but this people are emptied from vessel to vessel, from experience to experience. Some would manage well if they were only delivered from condemnation, like Balaam, “Let me die the death of the righteous etc.” but these seek salvation and God glorified thereby. The love of God was shed abroad in their hearts. They love all things that pertain to the name of God. Their heart’s desire is that sinners would be saved. The more you get of Him the more you will desire. A mark — “Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you,” and another, Blessed are those who are poor in spirit.
DONALD MORRISON, NESS, who said:
Praise God for the words we have here. Paul was well content, having been endued with this power. He knew nothing of it when he was under the power of darkness. Oh! “Good Thou art and good Thou doest.” The Scriptures tell us about the people who are saved, and the people who are deluded. There are two kinds of faith and two kinds of love, but it is from Christ Himself that the graces of this folk are received. Paul says that in Him we have redemption, deliverance, and again in Him we have an inheritance. Oh what would these do if the power of God were not stronger than the power of the enemy. They are happy to be under His power. A mark of those who believe — they rejoice in God their strength. The love of God possessed Paul in great measure. He loved Him who did “the work” and his love was going out to others in whom the same work was accomplished. Before conversion he was persecuting them, but after that, he loved them, God’s love having been poured into his own heart. He was like a mother who gives the breast to her child and at the same time gives relief to herself from fulness. These seek to walk without giving offence, like a woman with child walking in female company, lagging behind, crying, (to those in front) “Oh, walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,” “Oh that my steps were ordered etc.” These people are not beyond pleading “Oh, keep me!” at morn, at noon and evening. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Good works follow after faith and do not go before it.
Oh that the world would know that they love one another and forgive one another, like the woman who threw behind her the worst things she saw in the Lord’s people but “kept” the better things. When Luther was criticising Calvin — “Let Luther dislike me,” said Calvin,” let him call me a devil a thousand times, yet I shall love him, and acknowledge him as a precious servant of the Lord.” Like Gaius, kind not only to the brethren but to strangers. They who tasted of Him, desire that others would also.
MALCOLM MORRISON, GAELIC TEACHER,* who said:
It was revealed to these that they had sinned. They heard the voice of God saying they were astray. They were put to pray in secret as sinners, lost in the presence of God, although their knees, before them, would have been as stiff as the knees of the elephant. They had been bound by guilt, darkness, ignorance and inability. Their false peace was spoilt, conscience was awakened. They remembered their wrongs, they cried out, “What shall I do?” and like the publican praying “God have mercy on me a sinner.” If you have not reached this lesson, you are yet but a bad scholar, you have yet to begin at the beginning. When they were going down to the pit, he remembered them. “Who remembered us in our low state, for His mercy endureth forever.” There are some who are in the womb of trials for a time, but they die “like woman’s birth untimely.” These saw the glory of the Son.” My beloved is white and ruddy. He is altogether lovely.” He took me to His banqueting house, and His banner over me was love. If you did not get love you did not get faith, for love is greater. His people will sing eternally, “Unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” they desire to live for His sake.
REV. JOHN MACLEAN, BACK, (Closing the Question), said:
The power that has wrought saving faith in the soul is very great. This power was exercised towards Christ the Head of the Church, and the members of the Church need this, for this power quickened them “together with Christ.”
This power met with the power of death and the power of the Devil. When Christ was in the tomb with a stone at the door and with Pilate’s seal, together with the watchmen, who but they (had power) they thought! But the power of the Godhead saw them as flies. Was it in the power of the Romans to keep Him in the grave? The earthquake came, Christ rose. This was (the exercise of) the power of God. Hell and earth were armed against God, but the armies of Hell were put to flight in the battle. God mocked them.
It would have been better for them all to have kept their mouths shut. He was declaring in the days of His flesh, on earth, that He was God, when He said “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it again.” Not only the world did not believe in Him, but His own friends did not believe in Him at one time. Yes, Thomas would not believe the women, unless he saw the print of the nails etc! He was raised from the dead by the power of the Godhead, and was raised far above all principality and power etc.
Again the greatness of His power toward believers — Their souls were in the grave spiritually. It was sealed. Unbelief, the world the devil and corruption, kept them asleep. But the Spirit by His Power convinced their souls of the evil and guilt of sin, so that they felt like filthy maggots. He revealed to you that you were loathsome in His presence. Oh said the creature, “Is there cleansing for such a filthy slave as I am?” Pride gets a death blow. It is easy for Almighty Power to shake the person over Hell.
Christ is a Saviour from sin. The devil and men would accept salvation from Hell, but Christ saves from sin. Sin made men like the Devil, sin is like the marrow of their souls, it is not easy to separate. Some appear to be the enemies of sin, but they are in it up to their ears, but the power of God will keep it from reigning as it was before. Self is so unyielding, it is as if it had nine lives, (like the eels going this way and that way) against the ways of God. Self will assume any shape. It will make itself attractive so that Christ might see you beautiful, but God will cut the veins of self, so that the person will come to the foot of the cross — It is Christ that he now loves. He loves His fame (reputation). He loves the law of God after the inner man. It is holiness that he now pursues. He likes the Sabbath Day, and the ordinances, Christ to increase, and he himself to decrease.
When Dr Colquhoun asked from a godly man a mark of grace, the man stamped his walking-stick on the ground three times, and said in broad Scots, “doon, doon, doon,” that is, growing in humility. They by grace give themselves up to Him for their cleansing. Other friends spoke to the Question on this day but we think it best to keep this booklet brief. (G. Beaton).
* There were two of them. This one was born in Uig.