ACCOUNT OF THE COMMUNION-William Chalmers Burns

15
chapter 2
account of the communion

1939

about three weeks after this remarkable work commenced, it was considered most desirable and
obligatory to have another communion season. The session met for special prayer for direction as to the
matter, and afterwards as to the time most suitable.

The number of new communicants amounts nearly to ninety. A few who spoke on the subject seem to
have had scruples, and did not come forward. With the exception of a very few, and the account given of
their views and spiritual condition has been very pleasing and satisfying. They vary in regard to age from
twelve to three score and ten; a good many are from fifteen to eighteen years of age. The work of examining
has been of a different character from that of former years, wherein “we have seen evil. ” no doubt the
systematic knowledge of not a few of them is deficient, and much pains must be taken by themselves and by
us in this matter. I have urged on the young converts especially a very careful study of the shorter
catechism, and the earnest, close, and prayerful study of the scriptures. We solicit the prayers of christian
friends and ministers that we may have the great joy of seeing our children “walking in the truth, ” and
established with grace.

The number of communicants would doubtless have been greater had we deferred the communion for a
few weeks, as the banton revival is not so far advanced as to have furnished a large addition.

A great concourse of people, including not a few genuine friends of the lord jesus, assembled to our
communion. It is thought that not fewer than from twelve to fifteen thousand we in and about the town of
kilsyth upon the lord’s day; at the tent the number is estimated at about ten or twelve thousand. The day
was uncommonly favorable; and indeed during the whole interesting season external circumstances were
most propitious, and having been made the matter of special prayer, the answer should be marked and
remembered.

One the fast day (thursday) public worship began at the usual hour, the minister commencing with
praise and prayer, and reading psalms 126 and 130. The rev. C. J. Brown of edinburgh preached from
romans 7:9, “i was alive without the law once, ” &c. The rev. Dr. Malan of geneva preached in the
afternoon, from john 14:29, “peace i leave with you, &c. Mr. Mcnaugten of paisley in the evening from
isaiah 42:3, “a bruised reed shall he not break, ” &c. He preached also at banton, and mr. Cunningham of
edinburgh from the words in romans 5:8, “god commendeth his love to us. ” friday evening the rev. Mr.
Middleton of strathmiglo preached from jeremiah 8:22, “is there no balm in gilead, is there no physician
there? ” saturday mr. W. C. Burns preached in the tent to a large assembly from romans 10:4, “christ is the
end of the law, ” &c. In the evening mr. Somerville of anderston preached to a crowded audience from john
16 on the work of the spirit. This was a remarkable night of prayer, secret and social; probably there was not
an hour or watch of the night altogether silent. The beds were not much occupied: many, like the psalmist,
prevented the dawning of the morning. The morning bell rung at nine o’clock, and worship began at fully
twenty minutes to ten, both in church and at the tent. The action sermon was from john 6:35, “i am the
bread of life, ” &c. Mr. Brown of edinburgh fenced the tables. Mr. Rose of glasgow preached in the tent and
fenced the tables.

16

the first table, as usual, contained about one hundred; but to prevent confusion and undue protraction of
the services, arising from so unusual a number of communicants, the second was composed of those already
seated in the body of the church; after this the third was composed of those in the usual bounds, with a few
seats additional, and the remainder were served in the usual tables, so that the great accession was not felt as
any obstruction to order or comfort. The ministers were at full liberty to address the communicants without
the constant urgency of studied brevity. There were eight services as follows: the minister, first; mr.
Martin of bathgage, second; mr. Dempster of denny, third; mr. Brown, fourth; mr. Somerville, fifth; mr.
Rose, sixth; mr. Duncan, kirkintilloch, seventh; and dr. Dewar, eighth.

Mr. Rose preached in the evening from isaiah 42:3. All over by nine, without interval. In the tent, after
mr. Rose, mr. W. C. Burns, mr. Middleton, mr. Somerville, and dr. Dewar preached. Mr. W. C. Burns
preached again, by moonlight, to a great assembly, from “the mountains may depart, ” &c. All was most
orderly and decorous, and in many cases there were symptoms of deep emotion. We have heard of several
well authenticated cases of persons who came with levity of mind and went away deeply impressed; and of
one or two who could not get away; but remained over monday. Besides the vast crowd at the tent, messrs.
Martin, demptster, brown, and harper (of bannockburn) severally addressed groups of people near the
church, waiting for entrance to the tables. After public service, a great number of the godly strangers, and of
our younger members, and of persons concerned about salvation, remained. The younger ministers present
continued in exhortation, prayer, and psalms successively, for a considerable time in a most solemn,
affectionate manner, feeling unusual enlargement in their own spirits, with much of the felt gracious
presence of god.

On monday, at a quarter past eleven, probably from two to three thousand assembled around the tent.
Dr. Dewar preached from john 16:5, “he (the spirit of truth) will convince the world of sin, ” &c. Mr. W. C.
Burns preached from ezekiel 36:23-26, “a new heart will i give you, ” &c. The hour of five struck ere all was
over, and very few withdrew previously. The sensation was deep and solemn. In the evening mr. Brown
preached in the church from “what do ye more than others? ” similar exercises were engaged in also on the
monday night as on sabbath night; which the ungodly jeer at, the formal wonder at and censure, and which
many good christians would at first pronounce rather carrying it too far. But the fact is, that this is a spring-
tide, a very uncommon season, in which a rigid adherence to the rules of ordinary times must not be applied.
We have been drawing up a large draught, and the nets cannot be kept and laid by so orderly and silently as
usual.

This precious season of communion is now over and gone, but the remembrance is sweet. Having been
preceded, accompanied, and followed by a very unusual copiousness of prayer, the showers in answer have
been very copious and refreshing. We are daily hearing of good done to strangers, who came zaccheus-like
to see what it was, who have been pierced in heart and have gone away new men. Our own people of
christian spirit have been greatly enlivened and strengthened, and some very hopeful cases of apparently
real beginnings of new life have been brought to our knowledge. I feel grateful to the god of grace and god
of order in the churches, that there has been such a concurrence of what is true, venerable, pure, just, lovely,
and of good report, and that little indeed has escaped from any of us which can justly cause regret. We are
anxious (we trust we have a good conscience) that nothing should be done against, but everything for the
truth, that god in all things may be glorified through jesus christ. The solemn appearance of the
communion tables, and the delightful manner in which they were exhorted – the presence of not a few
unusually young disciples at the tables – the seriousness of aspect in all, and the softening and melting look

17

of others, made upon every rightly disposed witness a very delightful impression. May the lord give
abundant increase.

For ninety years, doubtless, there has not been in this parish such a season of prayer and holy
communings and conferences – nor at any period such a number of precious sermons delivered: the
spiritual awakening and the genuine conversions at this time are not few, and it is hoped will come forth to
victory. But the annals of eternity only will divulge the whole! The enemy, the devil, has been also among
us, and is doubtless busy now – more so than at the time of this dispensation. We are not ignorant of his
devices.

Yet upon the whole, there is much cause indeed to give god the glory for what he hath wrought. That he
hath been the chief worker is most undoubted, for “the son of god was manifested to destroy the works of
the devil, ” and his works have been much damaged and brought down among us. The public houses, the
coal pits (a coal master here bears witness, that the colliers who were formerly drunk ten days in the month,
are now sober, and that instead of swearing, they have prayer-meetings below ground, and are orderly. And
why should colliers not be numbered among saints, and be kings and priests to god? Pious colliers and
miners, what a treasure! ), the harvest reaping fields, the weaving loom-steads, the recesses of our glens, and
the sequestered haughs around, all may be called to witness, that there is a mighty change in this place for
the better.

The wicked scoff – nay, some we hear around us, or passing by, have brought upon themselves the great
guilt of speaking evil of this work. We pray for them. “they know not what they do! ” some decent
professors and moral people, are opposed to this whole work, and say, “if it continue, it may do good, ” but
they do nothing to make it continue, and others throw cold water upon it. It is strange, that when sermons
seem to make no impression, these persons should feel no anxiety about the permanency of the good
expected – but when there is really appearance of good impressions, their doubt should be expressed about
the duration of the good promised. Shall we be satisfied that we preach, and are heard, and no one showing
any concern, but preach, and are heard, and no one showing any concern, but just sitting, and it may be,
sleeping out the hours, and returning home as they came? Surely, surely even a degree, yea, a great deal of
enthusiasm, is better than death-like insensibility.

Such godly fear has come upon the people, that scarcely a single instance of intoxication, or any approach
to it, has been observed in the whole multitude assembled, where in formerly the prevalence of this and the
quarrels it engendered brought dishonor on tent-preaching, and in fact extinguished it.

Special instances of good done are naturally called for. Many memorable cases can be produced. Selection
is difficult. A woman from airdrie was observed by a few around her to be much impressed while mr. Vv.
C. Burns preached. She at length left the field and retired for prayer. After a while she was followed by some
praying people, who conversed with her. She seems to have undergone a complete change, and went away
in a composed frame. A young gentleman from glasgow, with whom i and mr. Brown conversed, who had
come with some indefinite notion of good or of being pleased, went home a new man in christ jesus. I know
several cases of whole houses being really converted. Mrs. H. Has been converted in a very wonderful way.
She had been a very passionate regardless character, who with her husband and family spent the sabbath
day in drinking, and other tainted enormities; two pious women, unknown to each other, had called upon
her, telling her that they could get no rest till they came to warn her of her sin and danger. The poor woman
thought with herself, if these two are so concerned about me that they cannot get rest, what should be my

18

concernment about myself? She attended a prayer meeting, came home at midnight, and roused her family
to tell them of her change of mind. There seems a very remarkable work of grace with the husband, and
other branches of the family.

A. B. , collier, aged fifty, a month ago, was upon the road side on the way from the church in great agony
of mind when i passed homewards. I at first thought he had been in drink: but it turned out that he had
hannah-like been pouring out his heart before the lord, having got a sight of his sinfulness; he went to his
bible and prayed; got heartening, as he expressed it, from the thought that had come to him, ‘ shall i be a cast
away? enabled to lay hold on christ as the ransomer, and as having paid the debt, he said, “come life, come
death, i will depend on his merits and mercies: ” resolving to be with christ hence forward. On receiving his
token, he said, “i used to run from you, but am now happy to meet. I served satan fifty years: i am now the
lord’s. ” his two companions, j. S and t. A. , gave very satisfactory accounts of their change of heart, and are
also communicants. The accounts of other cases more detached and interesting must be deferred.

I add a very few words in the way of inference.

1st. Prayer united, as well as secret, for the bestowal of the spirit’s influence, is most important, and will
sooner or later be heard.

2nd. Extra means should be used to bring those without the pale of any church to hear the gospel. The
preaching the former summer in the church-yard once and again, and the late frequent addresses in the
market and field, has most certainly brought the word near to many who might have remained to their
dying day without hearing it. Assuredly these means must be used, otherwise our newly provided churches
will remain unoccupied, and in a great decree useless.

3rd. There is a close connection betwixt missionary work and revivals. Our newly organized missionary
society, in january this year, has been marked by several people as an era. No church can be in a lively state
when nothing is done for the heathen.

4th. The social nature of man is an important element in his constitution, and exerts a powerful influence
on the state of the church and of the world. There are those who view the weavers’ shops as objects of
unmingled aversion, as hotbeds of anarchy; but when a good influence is made to bear upon the minds of
the operatives, the facilities for good are proportional to those for evil the reviving interest spreads much
quicker than in a rural district. Let every minister of the gospel, and every christian patriot keep this
steadily in view, and ply the workshops with every good and generous influence. Never let us cease in
good times and bad, to essay to do good, in the morning sowing seed, and in the evening withholding not
our hand: thus are we to sow beside all waters. God give the increase!

W. B. Kilsyth, 30 th , september, 1839.