Baptist in Caithness and maybe in Sutherland 1921

Mission Hall Brora




Well done Phil a casual question about Caithness churches made me get out the Baptist in Scotland book 1988 (edited David Bebbington.) and see what Johnston said about Caithness.

Here is the run down...We have wondered was there a work as far down as Brora and Golspie by Baptists?

Phil asks about Caithness With there 3/4 Baptist Churches with one of them being a newer work - Has there been any other Baptist churches/plants in this area that either haven't taken off or no longer in existence?

Phil

Wednesday, 20 September, 2006

I reply

If you mean Caithness then there is Keiss of course the mother, Wick well established ( I think they got the benefit of strong evangelicals at some point who left the establishment.)
Scarfskerry has a history of lay preachers and another "glasite" aspect - only their pastor will administer the communion ( may have changed now).
Thurso has had two attempts one goes back to the aftermath of Haldanes who made it to Orkney. The more recent Thurso Church was constituted in the 80's. I think there were Quasi -Baptist in Castletown off and on. But not affiliated to the Scottish BU. I am not sure about Cannisbay.

Freswick was preaching station and Stroma Church is now closed.

Bearing in mind the Caithness population has almost halved the Baptist are holding their own - so to speak.
So Caithness Churches and constitution dates
Thurso 1905 - 1840:1982
Scarfskerry 1816
Kiess -1750
and Wick - 1806.
with Stroma and Freswick (preaching station)

Now some months back I was looking at the 1921 revival and how it had effected Brora. Was there Baptists working in Sutherland?

23/2/1922-Northern Times
Revival in Wick
"“The revival in Wick is still progressing John Troupe's presence was an additional attraction, He is now almost well after his illness, but still to refrain from much exertion....one of the converts a young man died recently after a short illness,The hymns and prayers also bearing pathetic terms. A solo sung by Miss Lara Rosie was much appreciated."”

In Johnstons contribution about Baptists in Caithness he states that The famous Jock Troup, cooper - cum- revivalist, was married to one of the Blacks of Stirkoke, long assoicated with Wick (Baptist) Church. Jock was an instrument in the 1921 revival in Wick and elsewhere.

The plot thickens was it then Baptists, that moved south to Helmsdale, Brora, Golspie all the way to the seaboard villages in 1921/1922...

Baptist in Sutherland 200 years before the Free Church!

Today I want to tell you of evidence that Baptists were in the Highlands a lot earlier than you may have thought.

But before that remember if you have not completed the questionnaire please do so if you live in the Highlands of Scotland.

Brian Robertson says "It is fairly safe to say there were Baptists in Perth by 1653. Cromwell having established himself in Scotland set up 18 garrisons in towns like Leith, Ayr and Perth. Cromwell initially was tolerant of Baptists but at some point changed his mind and became anti Baptist. ( Was this because of a pacifist influence from them?)"

In 

Archbald Maclean 1733-1812

 Baptist Pioneer in Scotland

By Robert Dawson Mitchell 1950

he states in page 45 of his 348 page thesis that according to Hexham records p 301,302 "Baptists seem to have penetrated as far north as Sutherland, for there is a record of a letter written to the "soldiers in the garrison at Holmdell  (Helmsdale) in Sutherland shire by William Packer. A reply to this letter was written in 1656 by Jonas Dell, soldier in opposition to those dipping themselves in water."





Hexham records p 301,302
History of Baptist in Scotland page 30

So there you are 1656 that's approx 200 years before the Free Church of Scotland (1843) and 100 years before Keiss Baptist Church was established(1750) recognised as the, first Baptist church in Scotland, in Caithness -there were Baptist in Helmsdale Sutherland.

Sir William Sinclair - Baptists

Sir William Sinclair
Sir William Sinclair, a landowner in Caithness spend some time in London before returning to Kiess in 1750.


By that time he was convinced of their truth of believers baptism and set up a Baptist Church primarily made up of his own personal workforce."The preaching knight" was seen with some suspicion on account of his faith and practice.
Sir John Sinclair's first Statistical account of Scotland 1791-99 Indicates a group of about half a dozen ana-Baptists on the estate of Keiss the remaining disciples of The late Sir William Sinclair. In 1793 Dr John Morison in Canisbay parish said "there is an established church presence almost all attend except for a few Anabaptists”. This pocket witness survived the years and they are still several fellowships of Baptists in Caithness as opposed to Sutherland where there is no established Baptist witness.

North East coast revival 1921 Scotland

There is a link to an old post and conversation about Baptists in Caithness here.

Kessock last month

The North East coast revival in 1921 shows the spread and catalytic effect from a work. it started in Norfolk in 1921 and spread to Caithness Scotland the the travelling movement of the fishermen.

The following extracts from the Northern Times shows the spread down the coast as far as Ross-shire in a matter of weeks. 
 

	Northern Times
26/1/1922	30 converts from Helmsdale visited Brora and conducted service at the Fountain and the United Free Church
02/02/22	Revival spread to Golspie. Positive article of Gods Goodness and YMCA helping young converts.
23/02/22	Revival in Wick “The revival in Wick is still progressing John Troupe's presence was an additional attraction, He is now almost well after his illness, but still to refrain from much exertion....one of the converts a young man died recently after a short illness, the Hymns and prayers also bearing pathetic terms. A solo sung by Miss Lara Rosie was much appreciated.”
9/3/1922	Reference to Hymn singing conflict.
23/3/1922	Letter to editor of enquiry as to use of Pitgower Hall for meetings Revivalist meetings (with hymn singing) got use of hall but not the Free Presbyterian s
30/3/1922	Page 5 Canadian writer to paper recalls a “time of refreshing” in Rogart 50 years earlier 1870's when there were 70 converts.
6/4/1922	3 weeks mission closes by Mr Dowie in Brora- moving to Golspie
20/4/1922	Page 4 col 3 Evangelistic meetings Golspie YMCA - Mr Dowie Aberdeen. “Presentation to Mr Dowie at fisherman's Hall Brora presented with a roll of treasury notes from the public of Brora. In reply and thanks “requested the revival meetings continue under Rev Thomson.”
13/7/1922	Mr Mackenzie in Embo People from Helmsdale going to take revival meetings in Balintore.
3/8/1922	Brora news: Rev Thomson Ill Messrs Fraser Stewart and Robertson close two weeks mission in the Fishermen's Mission.

Several leading revivalists took part in this work.

Jock Troupe, Mackenzie and Dowie.

Thomson: Rev Donald, United Free Church settled previous year Feb 1921.

In a few months revival has come right down the coast.¹

 ^{Helmsdale harbour}

Brora News.

Presentation to Mr Dowie, Evangelist – at the usual Evangelistic Meeting held in the Fisherman's Hall, Lower Brora on Saturday evening. Mr Dowie of Aberdeen who is now leaving the District was presented with a roll of treasury notes from the public of Brora, as a token of esteem for the helpful addresses he delivered at the recent revival meetings in their midst. The Rev D Thomson in making the presentation on behalf of the subscribers thanked Mr Dowie for his valuable services both at the Open Air Meetings and elsewhere. Mr Dowie in reply said that this came unexpected but he hoped they had derived some lasting benefits through the Meetings held in the past and that they would continue to hold them under the guidance of the Rev Mr Thomson and helpers in the future.

Special Easter Communion – As the result of the revival meetings held in their midst, a scene unparalleled in the history of the Parish, if not in the Highlands, was witnessed in the Clyne United Free Church Brora at the morning service on Sunday last. A special Easter Communion was held at which the Rev Mr Thomson, Minister officiated. There were 195 persons partook of communion, the average communicants number about 100, but on Sunday there were 80 new members belonging to the United Free Church– 30 belonging to the Free Church who partook of it for the first time. As the revival only started after the New Year it speaks volumes for the good work done for the Master that so many young people belonging to different denominations should sit down together for the first time. The scene was a most inspiring and impressive one and will long live in the memory of all who witnessed it.

Here again we have a record that most locals of Brora would not be aware of, and, only a generation from the events. This revival started in Norfolk and moved to Aberdeen then Wick. It is encouraging to see many denominations including The Assemblies and Salvation Army involved. 

There were other times of revival to touch Caithness in the Church’s history. Perhaps most notably was that of the 1920s when the ministry in singing and preaching of Jock Troupe, of the Salvation Army, saw Churches, including Wick Baptist Church, and places like the Braehead and Market Square in Wick, packed out. It cannot be denied that the Church as a whole in this country has declined in numbers since those days but many believe there are signs of change.(52)

1Northern Times, 20 April, 1922 – p8. Col 2.