St. Peter’s, Dundee - Burns, William Chalmers

Chapter v

1839

The reader will have seen that in turning aside to refer to the second communion at kilsyth, and thus bring into one view the history of the remarkable movement there, we have necessarily anticipated somewhat the actual course of events in mr. Burns’ life. He returned to Dundee on the 8th of august, and almost immediately on his arrival found himself in the midst of scenes essentially similar to, and scarcely less remarkable than those he had left behind. To quote again his own words, in the letter to Mr. M’cheyne referred to above: “i left Dundee upon Tuesday the 16th July, intending to return to it on the 24th after attending at the communion, which was to be dispensed at kilsyth on the 21st of that month. But the marvelous outpouring of the spirit of god which was witnessed on Tuesday the 23d, having made it appear to many inexpedient for me to leave so soon that favored parish, i remained there for a fortnight longer, and only returned to Dundee upon Wednesday, the 8th of august. In my absence, Mr. Lyon, missionary at baton, in the parish of kilsyth, came over to Dundee and officiated for me; and i found on my return, as was natural, that the accounts which had been brought to them by Mr. Lyon of what he had witnessed on that ever-memorable Tuesday at kilsyth, together with the fact of my being detained from returning to them in consequence of being employed as an instrument in the lord’s work in another place, had produced so deep an impression as seemed eminently to prepare the way for the commencement of a similar work among themselves. However i cannot say that i returned to Dundee with this distinct expectation; which i was in some degree kept from entertaining by a full conviction that the work at kilsyth was almost entirely dependent for its origin on the prayers of god’s people there, which had been for some time incessant and most fervent; and that it was in a very inferior degree, indeed, connected with any particular instrument employed in preaching the gospel.

I entertained, perhaps, less hope of an outpouring of the spirit on the people at my return, also, because i was inclined to think, as other people thought, that i must be exhausted by the incessant labors of the preceding fortnight, and i had rather the idea of taking rest on my return, than of then beginning and from that time continuing to labor day by day as constantly and in the same glorious and blessed work as i had been engaged in at kilsyth. With this idea of taking relaxation uppermost in my mind i met for but a short time, on the evening of the Wednesday on which i arrived, with the young men’s class, and dismissed them without any particular indication of the divine presence with us, and on the Thursday i requested my kind friend Mr. L, of the semen’s chapel, to add to his many former favours by taking my place at the prayer- meeting in the evening. This he did with his usual readiness, and all went on as usual, until, just before the meeting closed, i rose to say a very few words to the people on my return to them, and regarding the marvelous work which had keep me so long away. I felt in speaking, at this time, powerfully impressed with the necessity of improving this, the very best opportunity of seeking to awaken the many sleeping sinners among them to an immediate concern about their perishing state, and to urge them to an instant acceptance of the lord Jesus. Under this impression, which came with unusual power upon my own soul, while for a few minutes i addressed them, i intimated that, after the blessing was pronounced, i would willingly wait a little longer with any who either knew that they had not been yet converted, or were not sure that they had, in order that i might give them counsel from the word of god suited to such a state, and might especially join with them in pleading for the outpouring of the holy spirit to convert them all to the lord Jesus. In consequence of this intimation about a hundred, i should think, remained behind; and Mr. L having retired i proceeded to speak to them from a passage of scripture upon the awful state of unconverted sinners, and the duty of instantly obeying the divine command by ‘ believing on the lord Jesus Christ that they might be saved; ‘ entreating them on no account whatever to leave the church until they had fled to Jesus from the wrath to come. As far as i can 281 recollect, both in speaking and hearing we felt more than usually the unspeakable solemnity of our position; and in prayer there was a far greater degree than, perhaps, i had ever seen among them of the spirit of Jacob’s resolution, * i will not let thee go until thou bless me. some were in tears, and all appeared to be seeking the lord with real earnestness of soul. After the blessing had been again pronounced, i suppose about half-past ten o’clock, a considerable number lingered in the passage, even after the lights had been put out, apparently anxious to catch any additional word that might be said in retiring; and when i began to say a few things in passing to the vestry about the work at kilsyth, and the hardness of their hearts in resisting the spirit of god, on a sudden the power of god seemed to descend upon almost all present, and they were in a moment bathed in a flood of tears such as i had never witnessed among them before. It put me in vivid remembrance of the scenes which i had left, and i was at that moment inflamed with the desire, and elated with the expectation of seeing a similar revelation of the right hand of Jehovah in Dundee as in kilsyth. I called on Mr. T, who was standing beside me, to pray, and before we parted i intimated that next night there would be another prayer-meeting, that we might wait upon the lord (until the spirit should be poured out upon us from on high. ) on Friday night accordingly, at the usual hour, although it was but very partially known that there was to be a meeting, more than the usual number assembled, and Mr. Baxter of hilt own, an excellent and trustworthy fellow-labourer, went through the usual services and concluded the meeting at the ordinary hour, without anything remarkable occurring, except that, before the blessing was pronounced, i again invited the same class to remain behind as had remained the night before.

There might now be present from 150 to 200; but this number gradually increased while we remained together, by persons who were attracted by seeing the church lighted at so unusual an hour as our meeting extended to. In speaking to them again, and in praying with and for them, i felt more than ever i had done before, except at kilsyth, the presence of the holy spirit constraining me as it were to plead with god and with man. At one time, while i was pressing the lord Jesus on them all, and beseeching them in the name of Christ ho be reconciled to god the whole audience seemed to be bathed in tears; and one or two persons, who had been convicted of sin under your own ministry, and had frequently conversed with me about the state of their souls, were so overpowered by their feelings that they cried aloud for mercy to the lord. In prayer also immediately after this the same tender frame appeared to increase upon the people, insomuch that at half-past eleven, while Mr. Baxter and i felt it our duty to conclude the meeting, we felt equally called on to allow any of those present who might desire it, an opportunity of still meeting us in the vestry. Mr. Baxter and i accordingly adjourned to the vestry; and i think i never can forget what i saw when we opened the door to admit those that might wish to see us. They seemed all to be pressing towards the door like a pent-up flood, and when it was opened they rushed in like the same flood when it has burst its barrier and carried all before it. They pushed forward with breathless anxiety, and their tears literally streaming from their eyes, and some of them like persons who had been seized with frenzy. One young man in particular (the very individual that i had seen weeping in the male class on the night before i went away to kilsyth) screamed out and gasped as if for breath, so that j w had to hold him with another man in his arms for half-an-hour, and when we proposed to pray, all, as if seized with one impulse, threw themselves on the ground, groaning, weeping, and crying for Jesus to come and save them. When too we sung the 45th psalm, and particularly the verse ‘ thine arrows sharply pierce the hearts, ‘ &c, the souls of all seemed so much on lire that one man present said to me afterwards, ‘ he had heard singing often, but such singing as there was then he never heard. after mr. Baxter and i had prayed and spoken with them until half-past one o’clock we dismissed them to their own houses, mr. Baxter kindly agreeing to come back on Saturday night and assist me again at a prayer-meeting which, at the special request of the people, we had intimated before leaving the church. At this meeting, which was larger than the one on the preceding night, Mr. Baxter first, and then i, officiated. The people seemed to be much in the same frame as on the preceding night; and so strong did the call appear to be to remain among them, that we both stayed until the sabbath morning had arrived with those who, as on the preceding evenings, had remained behind after the blessing was pronounced. On the following day i preached with more than usual liberty, though i had almost no time to do more than choose the subjects on which i was to speak; and i felt much more of the presence of the holy spirit breathing with quickening power upon my own soul, than i had ever experienced in your pulpit before. I had intended in the afternoon, in order to 282 make a grand onset upon the hosts of the enemy, to extend the same plan to the sabbath congregation which i had followed at the prayer-meetings on the days past, by inviting all the unconverted to remain behind, after the congregation at large had been dismissed. However, the hour being late, i invited the same class to meet me in the church at seven o’clock, when i made it known that any other persons might also attend, what-ever was their state. So strongly also did i feel the necessity of continued public as well as private prayer, in order to obtain the plenteous effusion of the holy ghost, that i intimated public prayer-meetings for every night during the following week. In the evening all went on as usual, while i addressed inquirers from the account of the penitent woman in luke vii. 36-52, and conducted the other ordinary services. However, after the blessing had been pronounced, and, after waiting long in the pulpit, i was on my way to the vestry, a great many of the people still kept their seats, as if resolved to wait for that blessing from the lord which they had asked, but had not as yet received. I could not leave them in such an interesting state, though no doubt my strength was by this time considerably exhausted; and accordingly i returned to the precentor’s desk, and having sung a psalm, i called on our dear brother mr. C to pray and read a chapter. He did so most suitably, adding a few observations at my request upon part of the 15th of luke, the passage which he had read. After he had ended i felt still called on to continue 1 with the people in prayer, and also to direct and exhort those that were seeking after christ, which i did chiefly from the 53 rd of isaiah. The state of the people, who might amount at least to several hundreds, was much the same as on the preceding evenings. The greater part was in tears, and many were almost overcome, either by the agony of conviction, or a transporting sense of the love of god in christ. It was about twelve o’clock when this glorious meeting ended; and though i had been speaking for an unusual length of time, and in unusually exciting circumstances, i felt in no degree more exhausted at night than in the morning; and enjoyed when i came home, as i have done throughout the whole of this wonderful period, sweeter and more refreshing rest than i had been accustomed to have before. When i opened my bible on monday morning my eyes rested, much to my surprise, on the words of the lord to paul acts 18:9-11 and truly i was not without the need of some such supporting assurance of the lord’s favour in the work on which i had entered; for the whole city was in an uproar, many saying, and perhaps some believing, that the people and i had gone mad; while few even of the people of god, except those who had been present (none of them felt thus), seemed to sympathize in what was going on, and some even charged me with fanaticism and an unintentional effort to ruin the interests of vital godliness in the city. However i have never been allowed, though i am by no means naturally of a courageous temper, either then or since, to entertain the least shadow of a doubt regarding the propriety of any step which i have been led to take in this matter, and i felt, especially at that time, that though many to whom i might look for aid should stand back, or even take part with the world, it was my duty like a soldier who has got some important post from his general to defend, rather to die in fighting to maintain it than to yield it to the enemy. Accordingly on monday and tuesday nights, being deprived of the presence of mr. Baxter, who was obliged to go to edinburgh that week, as a member of the commission of assembly, i conducted the public meetings alone. … On thursday my dear friend james hamilton, son of the late dr. Hamilton of strathblane, came in from abernyte, where he is assistant, and conducted most of the services. On friday and saturday i was again alone; but never felt that my strength was inadequate for all that i was left to do. During this whole week the meetings were crowded nearly to suffocation, and after all hundreds went away without gaining admittance. Curiosity and even worse motives no doubt attracted the great body of these assemblies; but many who came to mock remained to pray, and more who were drawn by the mere desire to see something new and strange, saw nothing new that was remarkable, but heard the old gospel as if they had heard it for the first time, no longer ‘as a tale that is told/ but as glorious tidings for guilty and ruined sinners. The meetings in general ended about ten o’clock, though i frequently had to meet with inquirers after dismissing, in the vestry, and nothing a particular characterized them, but an unusually solemn attention in hearing and earnestness in prayer. I began this week also the plan, which has been continued ever since, of meeting privately in the forenoon any of those who might wish to converse and pray with me regarding their state. Many came from the very first to these private conferences, and i soon obtained evidence, which stands in great part upon record in my note-books, of the reality of the work of god’s spirit among us in convincing men, through the medium of his own word, of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, which may remove  the suspicions of all friends and overthrow the cavils and calumny of all enemies. On sabbath, the 18th august, we had one of the greatest days of the lord’s power that i have seen in dundee. On the evening of that day, when i preached from isaiah 54:5-6, thy maker is thine husband, the lord of hosts is his name several persons sobbed or almost cried aloud; but the impression of the truth of god was so deep on the audience generally that this seemed to be little regarded. A greater number have attributed their awakening to that single discourse than to any other single sermon that i have preached, with the exception of that delivered upon tuesday, the 23d july, at kilsyth, by which, in the hand of the almighty spirit of jehovah, the whole congregation were, as if by some instantaneous electric shock, in a moment shaken with alarm or transported with divine joy. i have given you a specimen, in the first week, of the meetings, which have been continued, with a few exceptions, every day down to the present time. For nearly two months after they began, they continued to be crowded as much as they had been at first; since that time the numbers have been in general smaller, partly on account of the shortness of the days and the darkness of the nights keeping back many that were accustomed to come from a distance, and partly also, no doubt, from the falling away of many who came at first from improper motives, and did not receive such benefit during their attendance as to make them continue it from better reasons. At first, as i have already told you, many of the people of god, and not a few ministers, including even some of the very best, were suspicious of the work, or even openly opposed; now, however, while men of the world are probably as much opposed to it as ever, the church of god among us is much more visibly separated from the world by its almost unanimous testimony in its favour. . . . and now, dearly beloved brother and fellow-labourer, at the very time that i am about to enter, in answer to your most judicious queries, upon the most inviting part of this region, through the most rugged part of which i have been trying hastily to drag you, i find that my time is more than gone, and that i must leave those results to your own observation and to oral communication, of which i could have wished, had time permitted, to give you a general sketch. In a word, several hundreds at least are awakened, belonging to all classes of the community, and to all denominations of christians, though, of course, a greater number belong to your own congregation and parish than to any other single section of the city or surrounding country. All the awakened, as far as i know, are making most satisfactory progress. Many of them are rejoicing in the lord jesus, and not a few of them are, i believe, adorning the doctrine of god their saviour by a life and conversation becoming the gospel, &c. the scenes at kilsyth, in short, were in every essential particular repeated here, allowing only for the difference between a quiet country village and a large and busy manufacturing town. The crowded and solemnized assemblies in the church from night to night for months together; the eager throngs of inquirers, sometimes so numerous as to form themselves a congregation; the varied and weighty instructions of ministers, followed generally by more special counsels and prayers for those whose overmastering anxiety constrained them to remain behind; the numberless prayer-meetings of old and young, in private rooms, in workshops, in retired gardens, in open fields; the public challenge to the powers of evil and open assault on their strongholds by sermons and addresses in market-places and public streets or church-yards; the nightly journey of thirsty souls from far distances in the outskirts of the city, and in the rural parishes around; the general sensation and spirit of inquiry half-serious, half-curious which pervaded more or less the entire community, were here as there the salient features of a time which none who lived through it, and entered in any measure into the feeling of it, can ever have forgotten. In the following exalted strains of adoration and fervent aspiration he closes the record of a week of incessant, but to him delightful labour: 20 minutes to 12. When this week is expiring i would again, with praises which must echo through all the arches of heaven, set up my ebenezer and say, hitherto the lord hath helped me! O what a week of mercy and grace and love! Last week was wonderful, this is much more so; what will the next be? Perhaps it may be with jesus in glory! O that it may at least be with jesus, and that it may redound to the eternal glory of his grace in me and many thousands of redeemed souls! Come, lord jesus, come quickly! O scatter the clouds and mists of unbelief which exhale afresh from the stagnant marshes in my natural heart, the habitation of dragons, and pour afresh upon my ransomed soul a full flood of thy divine light and love and joy, in the effulgence of which all sin dies, and all the graces of the spirit bloom and breathe their fragrance! Nor do i pray for myself alone, but for all my dear friends father, mother, brothers, and sisters …. For all the people here all the ministers of every name whom  jesus hath called to preach his gospel, and for all who shall to-morrow hear or read the glad tidings of great joy which shall yet be to all people! Lord, hasten the latter-day glory! Come quickly, and reign without bounds and without end! And now wash me in thy blood, whose price i cannot tell, but need to cleanse me, so great a transgressor am i. Glory to thee, o lamb of god, and to thee, o father, and to thee, o holy ghost, eternal and undivided! Amen! and so from day to day and from week to week the sacred work of this remarkable time went on the church nightly thronged with arrested and deeply solemnized multitudes, and every other available hour occupied with individual inquirers, who in very deed sought the eternal wisdom “as silver, and searched for her as for hid treasure. twenty, thirty, forty, would often come to him on this errand in a single day, gathering in little groups in an outer chamber and pouring out their hearts in united prayer, or in silent and solitary breathings, as they waited each their turn for a personal interview. Generally at the public assemblies, a large part of the audience would remain after the regular services were concluded, for further and more special instruction; and even when all was over, often at a late hour, eager groups would still cling around the preacher as he retired to the vestry, in hope of hearing still some last words of parting counsel and prayer. Occasionally even then it was scarcely possible to shake off the importunate crowds who hung upon the lips of christ’s ambassadors as for their lives: “when we left the session-house, ” he writes on september 19th, “we met a great multitude still waiting to hear the word, and some of them in tears. Many of these came along with mr. W and me to the west end of the town, and when we came to roseangle, mr. W at my suggestion engaged with them in a parting prayer on the highway side, under the starlight faintly shining through the dark windy clouds. at one time the throng of worshippers was so great, especially during a visit of dr. M’donald of urquhart, that it was found expedient to change the place of meeting from st. Peter’s to st. David’s parish church, the largest place of worship in dundee, the use of which was kindly given by the minister, the rev. George lewis, who himself took a deep interest and bore an efficient part in the services. The movement may perhaps be said to have reached its climax a kind of spring-tide flood at the communion season in october, when the late much esteemed and highly gifted mr. Bonar of larbert, assisted by messrs. Bonar of kelso, m’donald of blairgowrie, and mr. Flyter of alness, dispensed the living bread to a vast concourse of hungering souls, “many of whom seemed burning with desire after nearness to jesus. on the evening of the day three several congregations were assembled one vast assemblage in the church, and two lesser ones formed out of its overflow in the adjoining school- rooms, and were addressed respectively by mr. Bonar of kelso, mr. Bonar of larbert, and mr. Burns. during the whole of this communion sabbath, ” he records in his journal, “there was, i am told by the ministers, an unusually deep solemnity pervading the audience the result, i trust, of the near presence of jehovah. ” amidst those solemn scenes mr. Burns himself remained, in a most remarkable manner, calm and self- possessed. The great objects of faith which so mightily moved his soul seemed to tranquillize, whilst they solemnized and stirred him, so that he moved from day to day in an element rather only of holy and exalted feeling than of excitement in the ordinary sense of the term. At the close of the most exhausting day of apparently exciting labour, his sleep would be as deep and soft as that of a child, and he arose for the next day’s toil fresh and joyful, as a strong man to run his race. i rose, ” says he (sabbath, october 6, 1839), “at half-past nine, and felt very strong, even after the incessant duties of saturday so wonderfully does the lord refresh me with sweet sleep. ” and again (november n), “i rose this morning at 11 o’clock! This appeared to be my duty after being so long and busily engaged on sabbath. Indeed, it is by sleeping until i am fully refreshed, more than by any other means, that my strength has been preserved undiminished, or rather, i may say, has increased during the excessive labours to which i have been called during the last three and a half months. in regard to the character of his preaching during this period, it would appear from all i have been able to learn in regard to it, to have been characterized by great fullness, freedom, and rich copiousness of scriptural exposition and appeal, by a melting and persuasive unction, and even by a clearness and force of thought and diction, which, considering the incessant draughts made upon his resources, was very remarkable. At the same time, as he ever sought to speak, not from the mere remembered impression of past convictions, but from the immediate and present sense of eternal things, and felt constrained either to 285 utter only that which he felt livingly in his soul or be silent altogether, his preaching was subject now, as ever afterwards, to great variations alike in fullness and in power. Amid his engrossing and abundant labours in the field of service specially allotted to him, he found time also for occasional evangelistic excursions to other places, the results of which were sometimes interesting. Thus, instead of returning straight home from the communion at kilsyth, referred to in last chapter, he made a rapid visit to paisley, where he preached in the high church to a densely crowded audience, with much assistance, from job 33:23; and “saw not a few in tears, ” as he was himself “considerably moved, not so much when preaching, as when expounding briefly philippians 2: 5-9. “on his way to paisley an incident occurred which is worth recording, as characteristic alike of the time and of the man: “tuesday, september 24 th . In the afternoon, when on my way to paisley, i had hardly seated myself in the glasgow boat when an acquaintance (john marshall, auchinsterrie) said to me, “you should have worship here. ” ‘of course if it is agreeable to all it will be agreeable to me. all seemed anxious for this, and the next minute the captain came saying, ‘ will you allow me to open the steerage door as the passengers there would like to hear? this of course we gladly agreed to, and in a few minutes i found myself, to my own joyful astonishment, standing at the partition door and praying with the whole company. We also sang more than once; and i would have expounded a passage, but i had a little hoarseness and did not see it to be my duty to expose myself when i had so much of the most important work before me.

The next day he preached in the forenoon at kirkintilloch, and in the evening at denny, where we catch a characteristic glimpse of one lofty alike in stature and in moral bearing, whom all who were present at the convocation of the ministers of the church of scotland in 1842 will remember as perhaps the most striking figure in that assembly: “there was a most densely crowded audience, to whom i preached with considerable assistance from romans 3:19, 22. Having ended at twelve o’clock, mr. Dempster, who seemed all on fire with earnestness for a blessing on his people, came up and said a few words, adding, that if any still desired to hear more of the gospel, mr. Duncan 1 would be glad to preach again.

” The following extracts, the first of them deeply touching and characteristic, will afford a glimpse of some of his labours elsewhere:

“Edinburgh, october 16th, 1839. This forenoon i visited, after seeing several cases privately, the orphan hospital, under the government of my dear friend m’dougall, with whom i one dark evening prayed in bute upon some lonely rocks by the sea-shore, and a pious matron, mrs. Dickson. In the governor’s room i saw a fine picture of whitefield, who was a great favourer of this institution, and when i went into the little pulpit of the chapel, saw the dear orphans so neatly clad and so beautifully arranged before me, and began to read psalm 103, ‘ such pity as a father hath &c, i felt quite overpowered by a feeling of sympathy with these dear children in their orphan state, mingled with grateful wonder at the love of god in dealing so kindly with them. In prayer also i had considerable enlargement, but particularly in speaking from 2 corinthians 8:9, and telling them some anecdotes, i felt unusually melted myself, and yearned over them, i think, in the bowels of jesus christ. Some of the boys and girls were crying, and when i bade them farewell, they unwillingly and with many tears withdrew. O lord, think upon each of these dear children, convert them all to thyself through jesus, and raise up from among the boys a great band of holy and devoted ministers and missionaries of jesus! It was with peculiarly affecting feelings that i hurriedly bade adieu to this most interesting institution, running to be in time to visit, as i had promised, the greenside female school, under the conduct of miss haldane and other pious ladies.

“st. Andrews, november 4 th . After visiting mrs. C, an interesting christian widow, who travails in birth again for her children, that christ may be formed in them, and praying with her and two of her dear children, i went at eleven to mr. Lothian’s; and after he had prayed and said a few words i spoke for a little too about fifty or sixty people from john 4:10. Many were silently weeping, though, alas! My own hard heart did not feel so tenderly as at some other times. We bade them all farewell at the door, leaving many in tears as we went into the curricle that was to convey us back to dundee. On our way james h, and i both prayed and had much conversation about the glorious work in which we were engaged, the hopeful symptoms of an approaching revival in st. Andrews, and the necessity of making fill proof of our ministry, taking up our cross and following jesus whithersoever he goeth. There are a few names even in this poor desolate place that have not defiled their garments, and who begin to take pleasure in the stones of zion and to favour her very dust. Lord! Do thou appear in thy glory among them, and turn all their hearts as the heart of one man to thyself. Father, glorify thy son; glorify thine own name. Amen.

“o lord jehovah ! Grant to me a heart for jesus’ sake to praise thee with becoming love for all the most marvellous displays of thy love and mercy which i the chief of sinners am permitted to behold from day to day. Breathe on me, o holy ghost! For the glory of emmanuel, and fill my soul with seraphic love, and my tongue with holy and unceasing praise, and o! Draw by thy omnipotent grace all these dear inquiring souls to the blood and the bosom of that adorable emmanuel whom they seek after, and whom thou earnest to glorify in the hearts of sinners. Amen.

” On thursday, november 23, mr. M’cheyne returned from the interesting mission which had led to mr. Burns’ temporary occupancy of his pastoral charge, and from that time accordingly his official connection with st. Peter’s church and congregation closed. The following extracts will show the feelings with which he ended this first, and in some respects most eventful period of his home ministry, and the tender bond of sacred affection which still, in parting, bound him alike to that people and their pastor: “sabbath, november 17 th , 1839. . . . In applying the subject i was remarkably aided, and just as i was concluding it came into my mind that though i might probably preach to the people again, yet that now i had reached the termination of my ministry and this gave me an affecting topic from which to press home the message more urgently (subject – union to christ, john 15. )

The season was indeed one that i shall never forget. Before me there was a crowd of immortal souls all hastening to eternity, some to heaven, and many i fear to hell, and i was called to speak to them, as it were, for the last time, to press jesus on them, and to beseech them to be reconciled to god by the death of his son. . . . After i had intimated that mr. M’cheyne was expected to be here on thursday, i spoke a few words on my leaving them, but i was so much affected that i could say but little, and i felt that it was a cause of praise that the lord hid from me so much of what is affecting in my present circumstances, though i believe it were good both for the people and myself to feel this much more. The people retired very slowly when we had dismissed about five o’clock, and many waited in the passage and in the gallery until i retired, who wept much when i was passing along, and obliged me to pray with them in the passage again. When i came out i met with many of the same affecting tokens of the reality of my approaching separation from a people among whom the lord, in his sovereign and infinite mercy, has shown me the most marvellous proofs of his covenant love, and from among whom, i trust, he has taken, during my continuance among them, not a few jewels to shine forever in the crown of emmanuel the redeemer! Glory to the lamb that was slain! …. Truly the work of the lord is marvellous when i begin to look back upon it from the beginning. It must engage my harp and my tongue, with those of countless multitudes of the redeemed in glory, throughout the endless ages of eternity. “friday, november 23 rd , 1839. I met mr. M’cheyne at his own house at half-past six, and had a sweet season of prayer with him before the hour of the evening meeting. We went both into the pulpit; and after he had sung and prayed shortly, i conducted the remaining services, speaking from 2 samuel 23:1-5, and concluding at ten. We went to his house together and conversed a considerable time about many things connected with the work of god, and his and my own future plans and prospects. I find he preached to a densely crowded audience on thursday night, and with a very deep impression, from ‘ i am determined to know nothing among you &c. He seems in but weak health, and not very sanguine about ever resuming the full duties of a parish minister. O lord, spare thy servant, if it be for the glory of thy name, and restore his full strength that he may yet be the means of winning many souls for jesus. Amen. “