Introduction
In the northwest part of Scotland, the people on the island of Skye were in darkness. There were only a few churches. Most of the Church of Scotland ministers did not believe in a born-again experience. They were progressives/liberals that denied the authority of the Bible, denied the deity of Christ, denied the virgin birth, and denied that Jesus’ death had any redeeming value for mankind. They acknowledged that He was a good teacher, but not that He was the divine son of God.
The people themselves were steeped in tradition and superstition. Being illiterate and without Bibles, the darkness covering the land was intense.
The Evangelical Message Arrives in Skye
In 1805, John Farquharson, an itinerant preacher with the Independent Methodists, appeared in Skye. He travelled throughout the island, preaching in fields or any suitable location, drawing significant crowds, preaching in Portree, Snizort, Kilmuir, Diurnish, and Bracadale.
Farquharson immigrated to Nova Scotia some months later, but not before sowing seeds which were to bear enormous fruit in the months and years ahead. One person Farquharson influenced was Rev. Donald Martin, the unsaved minister of the Church of Scotland, who had been preaching in the church in Kilmuir since 1785. Martin was converted through Farquharson’s influence and became instrumental in the revival in the days to come.
Rev. Donald Martin had such a dramatic transformation in his teaching and preaching following his conversion that it was noticed by everyone, and they began to gravitate toward him. At this time the revival was beginning to bud and the desire of the parishioners to search the Scriptures grew. The problem, however, was that there were no Bibles for the people, and most of them couldn’t read.
Portree Countryside
God Uses a Blind Man to Lead a Revival
Another of Farquharson’s converts was Donald Munro, a blind man in his 30s, from the town of Portree.
Munro had lost his sight as a child due to smallpox. His livelihood came through playing the fiddle, and following his conversion Farquharson arranged for him to become a Catechist, a teacher to prepare new converts for admission to church membership. Though he was unable to read, he was able to memorize entire chapters from the New Testament, as well as the questions from the Shorter Catechism, and it was said that he eventually became a walking concordance of the Bible.
Extraordinary Prayer
Though Donald Munro had only been converted for less than a year when Farquharson left the island, he continued on and was instrumental in leading many more to faith in Jesus. He also organized a prayer meeting in the town of Snizort. It began small, yet in time the numbers increased.
In 1808, Rev. Donald Martin left Skye for a new assignment, and being alone, Munro began to conduct church meetings, and when he did, large multitudes assembled.
Opposition from the Presbyterian Church of Scotland
Donald Martin’s replacement, Donald Ross, was not a born-again minister, and due to the crowds that would assemble to listen to Munro, jealousy arose in this man’s heart.
Munro had been receiving a salary from the Scottish Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK), and they had strict rules that their teachers were forbidden to preach. Donald Ross reported Munro’s activity, in that he was preaching, and he was subsequently dismissed by the SPCK.
The effect of this turn of events was that even larger crowds came to listen to Munro. He began preaching from farm to farm and house to house. Being a fiddle player, he provided the music for the singing, and his recitation of Scriptures was conducted with tremendous unction.
His persistent ministry led to the outbreak of full-scale revival in 1812, with Kilmuir being the center.
One who was well acquainted with the spiritual condition on the island in those days declared:
Such was the influence of the gospel on the people in general in the districts where Munro labored, that if a stranger came to the place he would be disposed to think that the majority of the people were under its influence.
Munro was so popular and had so much respect of the people that they were known to carry him from place to place on their backs.
With the Church of Scotland churches having mostly unconverted ministers, the people didn’t want to attend their churches, so they began constructing meeting houses in which to hold services. They didn’t want to withdraw their membership from the Church of Scotland–it was just that they had a lack of respect for the ministers who could offer them no practical spiritual guidance.
John Bunyan
What Munro’s Services Looked Like
► They began with praise and prayer, and it was as if the people didn’t know how, or didn’t want, to stop singing.
► There was reading or recitation of the Scriptures, with large portions being read aloud without comment.
► Segments from classic authors were read.
….• An Alarm to the Unconverted by Joseph Alleine
….• Human Nature in its Fourfold State by Thomas Boston
….• A Call to the Unconverted by Richard Baxter
….• Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
….• And others
► A scripture passage from the Word of God was expounded on.
The Results of Munro’s Biblical Exposition and Exhortations
► Hearts would become “melted.”
► Enemies were disarmed.
► Though religious leaders condemned the meetings, they acknowledged that Donald Munro was a good man.
► Deep attention was given to every word Donald said.
► Tears would be seen flowing down people’s faces while he ministered.
► Sobbing could be heard.
► Half suppressed sighs could be heard.
► Some would cry out under the conviction of sin.
► Some would throw themselves onto the ground, in terrible distress, weeping bitterly.
► A spirit of prayer and supplication would come upon the leader and the people, and the people would either be on their knees or stretched out on the ground, calling out to God.
► The length of the services didn’t weary the people. Hours would pass without them even taking notice, nor being concerned that there was a need to eat.
► Brotherly love was multiplied.
► People were born again during each service.
► There was such a desire to hear the Word of God preached, that people thought nothing of personal inconveniences.
Some of the locations where the revival spread
Spread of the Revival
► The revival began in Kilmuir, but spread to Snizort, Bracadale, and finally Diurnish. And despite opposition of various sorts, the revival continued for 2 ½ years.
► Munro remained mostly on the island of Skye, but at times he was asked to minister on the mainland, and when he did, the power of God he experienced through his ministry on Skye accompanied him.
Frequency of Services
► Three times every sabbath day—in the open fields or in barns
► One other service was held at Munro’s home during the week.
► He would hold one other service at a different location during the week.
Countryside in Snizort
Results of the Revival
► Many of those converted during the revival became very effective in different parts of Skye or on other islands.
► There were hundreds that were converted.
► There was an obvious and notable turning away from sin-filled lives.
► People had a compulsion to tell others about Jesus, and they were accompanied by a power that made their evangelistic efforts productive.
► The divisiveness of the jealous ministers did not hinder the revival’s spread.
Who the Revival Affected Most
► Mostly the young, from little children to 30-year-olds, both married and unmarried
► A couple of exceptions–one man of 80 years, and another over 100
In 1830, Donald Munro died — a man highly honored of the Lord and by his people.
Sources
► In the Shadows of Caringorm (chapter XI) by William Forsyth
► Land of Many Revivals by Tom Lennie
► Narratives of Revivals of Religion in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales by Presbyterian Board of Publication
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Chet & Phyllis Swearingen
(260) 920-8248
romans1015@outlook.com
Beautiful Feet
P.O. Box 915
Auburn, IN 46706
