BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 41
from the other circumstances, produced a great sensation. The people came out
in crowds to hear ; and while, doubtless much good was effected, not a little
irritation was awakened in other quarters. In the following summer the Rev.
Rowland Hill, the uncle of Lord Hill, visited Scotland with the view of preaching.
In his published journal he gives a graphic description of his first interview
with Mr. James Haldane. He had arrived at Langholm, where he met Mr. Haldane,
accompanied by Mr. Aikman, who were on an itinerating tour through the south
of Scotland. “ These gentlemen,” says Mr. Hill, “ were then unknown to me.
I was told, but in very candid language, their errand and design ; that it was a
marvellous circumstance, quite a phenomenon, that an East India Captain-a
gentleman of good family and coimections-should turn out an itinerant preacher ;
that he should travel from town to town, and all against his own interest and
character. I immediately sought out
the itinerants. When I inquired for them of the landlady of the inn, she told
me she supposed I meant the two pviests who were at her house; but she
could not satisfy me what religion they were of. The two priests, however, and
myself soon met ; and, to our mutual satisfaction, passed the evening together.”
The following extract from Mr. Hill’s dedication of part of his work to Mr.
Haldane is so characteristic that we insert it :-
“You was educated for a ‘maritime life ; and, from a situation creditable and Incrative,
commenced apeddlingpreacher, crying your wares from town to town at a low rate, indeed ‘without
money and without price,’ and scattering religious tracts as you travel from place to place ;
while it was my lot to be bred to the trade, and to serve a regular apprenticeship for the purpose ;
but, being spoilt in the manufacturing, I never received but forty shillings (a story too trivial to
relate) by my occupation as a churchman. Affluence is a snare ; a decent independent competency
is a blessing-a blessing, if thereby we can presch Jesus freely, and prove to the poor of the flock
that we can sacrifice our own profit if we can be profitable to them.”
Hitherto neither of the Messrs. Haldane had left the Church of Scotland ;
but the visits of Mr. Simeon and hlr. Rowland Hill had so much increased the
excitement which existed on the part of the General Assembly that a “ Pastoral
Admonition” was issued warning the people against the new preachers, and particularly
prohibiting Episcopal ministers from England, like Mr. Simeon or Afr.
Hill, to occupy the pulpits of the Scottish Church. This very soon compelled
the Messrs. H. and their friends to secede from the church. Mr. R. Haldane, at
an expense of upwards of 530,000, purchased or erected large chapels in Eclinburgh,
Glasgow, Dundee, Dumfries, Perth, and many other places. Mr. James
Haldane became the minister of the newly-erected chapel in Leith Walk, called
the Tabernacle j so named after Mr. Whitefield’s places of worship. To keep
up the interest of the people, eminent ministers from England were invited to
preach in the Tabernacle ; and, although it seated more people than any other
church in Edinburgh, it was for many years crowded to excess.
In the year 1808, however, certain changes being made in the mode of
conducting the divine service in the morning, which were very ill calculated to
attract popularity, the attendance fell off; and, the Tabernacle being too large
for the regular congregation, the lower part was converted to other purposes
This information was enough for me.
VOL. 11. G
42 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Mr. Haldane continued to preach to a large congregation ; and, during the forty
years he was so engaged, his disinterested labours were rather the occasion of
his spending than of his receiving money. The seats were all free; and he
derived no emolument whatever from his office.
Had it been the object of the Messrs. Haldane to gain a name, and become
the founders of a sect, their ambition might easily have been gratified. The
success which attended their joint labours was at first very great, and their
chapels were well attended. But this never formed any part of their scheme ;
and their adoption of Baptist sentiments separated them from many of those
with whom they formerly acted. Since the agitation of the voluntary question,
they have taken no part in opposition to the Established Church, considering it to
be rather a political than a religious controversy.
In the early part of their career their motives were often questioned ; and
it happened more than once that Mr. James Haldane was interrupted by the
civil authorities when preaching in the open air. This happened in particular
at Ayr, at North Berwick, and in Aberdeen ; and on one occasion an action
might have been brought against an Argyleshire magistrate for arresting Mr.
Haldane and Mr. John Campbell, afterwards well known as a missionary and
traveller in Africa. Mr. Haldane, however, contented himself, after having been
liberated by the sheriff, with going over the same ground which he had
previously intended ; and the interest excited by his arrestment drew forth such
numbers to hear him as amply compensated for his previous interruption.
Mr. Robert Haldane has been also laboriously engaged in the same work to
which both he and his brother devoted themselves in their early manhood. On
the Continent, and particularly at Geneva, and at Montambau, Mr. Haldane
resided for several years after the peace, and was the means of effecting much
good among the ministers and theological students in these celebrated Protestant
seminaries. He also expended very large sums in education ‘of young
men as ministers, both in England, Scotland, and the Continent. We believe
the number amounted to little short of four hundred. Among these there were
several men of great eminence, such as Principal Dewar of Aberdeen, Mr.
Russell of Dundee, Mr. Angel1 James of Birmingham, Drs. Paterson, Henderson,
etc. Mr. Robert Haldane also published several works of very considerabIe value,
particularly one on the Evidences of Christianity, and another containing a very
elaborate Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans.
Mr. James Haldane held three services every Sunday at the Tabernacle, as
well as a week-day service ; and his labours in Edinburgh, together with his
former numerous itinerating tours through Scotland, and also in England and
Ireland, have been the means of awakening thousands to concern for their eternal
welfare. It was remarked by a late eminent minister of the Church of Scotland
in Edinburgh, that wheh conversing with his communicants, it was surprising in
how many instances they attributed their first serious impressions to Mr. Haldane’s
preaching. Both brothers continued with unabated energy to pursue
the same schemes of usefulness. At the period they commenced their public
