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
