1. Early Years
Robert Findlater was born in 1786 into a godly family who lived near Evanton in Easter Ross. He was educated locally until he went south to Edinburgh University, when he was just 13. He successfully studied Greek, but his attempt at Logic was a disaster, probably because he was too young. However, he completed his Arts course in three years and the following year was spent as a tutor in an Easter Ross family. “It was here”, says his elder brother William in his biography of Robert, “that he began to think seriously
1The first section of a paper entitled, “Robert Findlater and Revival at Lochtayside”, which was read by the Editor at last year’s Theological Conference.
of religion and felt more decidedly its impressions on the heart” (p 96).2
Robert began to consider if it was his duty to become a minister of the gospel and “prayed for more vivid impressions of the truth, and grace and light to guide him in the path of duty” (p 96). He made a friend of another tutor who worked nearby; they took long walks together speaking on religious subjects. Together they used to visit a godly Christian, “in whom they saw a living example of the influence and power of religion, whose remarks and recollections were truly edifying and spiritual” (p 97).
In 1803, still only 17, Robert returned to Edinburgh to study for the ministry. Now somewhat more mature, he retook the Logic class, this time successfully. It was the autumn of 1804 before he made a profession of faith in Christ, after consulting David Black, the minister of Lady Yester’s Chapel, for advice. He also wrote his father for further counsel; this worthy man wrote back, quoting John 17:3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent”. He commented, “Now this knowledge of God and Christ must precede our profession. I do not mean a head . . . knowledge; but that knowledge that hath its witness with it, not only before the world, but in conforming the mind and heart to God’s revealed will, and which sanctifies the whole man in purity and holiness, and enabling [him] to escape the pollution of sin, from our love to the holiness of God” (p 101). His father also advised Robert to study the Shorter Catechism answer to the question, “What is required in the First Commandment?”
Robert recorded that his going to the Lord’s table was a declaration “that I choose God to be my only portion. By this most solemn act, I declared that there is none in heaven whom I have, neither is there any in all the earth whom I desire, besides God. I have announced Christ to be my Saviour, and that there is none other name given under heaven among men by which I can be saved, and that it is alone by and through the righteousness of Christ I can be saved. I have announced before God, before angels, before men and devils that I will no more serve sin, but be a servant of God. . . .
“Consider, O my soul, what thou hast done this day. Thou hast opened thy mouth to the Lord. Thou must not draw back. . . . God has promised that His grace is sufficient for us and that His strength is perfected in our weakness. Let me remember it is not in my own strength I am to do all these things, that it is impossible for me to do anything of myself; for it is God that worketh both to will and to do of His good pleasure. I have declared that Christ is my salvation; then let me trust in Him for salvation, for grace to withstand the
2All page references otherwise unidentified are from: William Findlater, Memoir of the Rev Robert Findlater, Glasgow, 1840.
temptations of the world and of the wicked one. Let me be jealous over myself with a holy jealousy; let me have that tender conscience to discern evil; let me have faith to apply to Christ . . . and let me endeavour to spend my time, my talents, my opportunities and my privileges in subservience to the great end of my creation and to the preparation for the important work of the ministry” (pp 103-5).
The next time he went to the Lord’s table, a month later, he wrote in his diary: “I endeavoured to get myself impressed with the holiness and majesty of God, and the service which I had in view through the latter part of the day. I . . . went to the house of God with great eagerness and joy. . . . In my approach to the table of the Lord this day, [I] found my views clearer as to the nature of the duty . . . in contemplating the love of God in Christ and the evil of sin . . . . My affections were raised to Jesus Christ, to the joys of heaven and the everlasting blessedness, when God’s people shall meet at last, when there shall be no intruding care, no wandering thought in the service of God. . . . Thanks be unto God for all His mercies and kindness” (p 110-1).
During two winters and the summer of 1805 he spent an hour or two, perhaps most days, helping Thomas Ross, later the minister of Lochbroom, to correct the proofs of the first complete edition of the Gaelic Bible. Findlater was to find this work helpful in giving him a more exact knowledge of the language, which he was able to use in teaching younger men who were not native speakers of the language. These men went on to preach in Gaelic in Highland parishes.
Findlater’s theological course ended in 1807, and he would have delayed seeking to be licensed to preach, as he was still only 20, had others not encouraged him to go ahead. Even after being licensed in October 1807 by the Presbytery of Dingwall, he hesitated to begin preaching. He had an encouraging letter from the eminent Charles Calder of Urquhart (also known as Ferintosh), who was his family’s minister. The letter included the advice given to another young man “who felt burdened in the prospect of the work before him”. He was told: “You have but one thing to do, Exalt Christ, and the promise is, ‘And I, if I be lifted up . . . will draw all men unto Me’”. Calder also quoted from the memoirs of the eighteenth-century minister Samuel Pearce: “It is through diligent ploughing in the closet that successful reaping is to be looked for in the pulpit” (p 114).
Because he was so young, it was probably to be expected that, for most of the next year, Findlater would not be called to a charge. He spent most of that winter and spring with his brother William, who was a missionary minister3 in north-west Sutherland. In his brother’s district, Robert Findlater
3He was described as a missionary because he was responsible for only part of a parish.
had many opportunities for preaching, and pious people valued both him and his ministry.
In the autumn of 1808 Robert Findlater was himself appointed a missionary minister, in Rothiemurchus, a district south of Aviemore, in Inverness-shire. His total annual salary from this appointment and from a teaching position amounted to just £40, not much more than £3400 in today’s values. He felt it his duty to accept these responsibilities, but they were too much for him and he decided to give up teaching. On the first day of 1809, he noted, he felt some liberty in preaching from Acts 4:12, “while encouraging sinners who have seen the necessity of salvation to come to Christ. [I] was indulging the hope that I might be made useful in this place; and thought of the happiness that I would enjoy were God pleased to bless my labours to this poor people.” And he expressed the desire, “O Lord, do Thou make me faithful, so that I may be made wise so as to win souls to Christ.” He also noted that he “found considerable pleasure in catechising the servants and children” in the inn where he stayed (p 120).
During the following August, Findlater was called to Edinburgh by John Campbell, a minister of the Tollbooth church in the city, who was also secretary of the Scottish Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge (SSPCK), under whose auspices Findlater had been appointed a teacher in Rothiemurchus. Campbell advised him not to return to his post as missionary and he spent three months in Edinburgh. During this time Findlater often preached, particularly in the Gaelic Chapel there. His preaching was so acceptable that he was generally invited to assist at communion services in the chapel, twice a year, for most of the rest of his life. Campbell recommended him to the Society for the position of missionary minister at Lochtayside, in Perthshire, and he was appointed. It was to be the scene of great gospel blessing during his time there.