|
 Electric
Scotland's Weekly Email Newsletter
Dear
Friend
It's your
Electric Scotland newsletter meaning the weekend is nearly here :-)
You can view what's new this week on Electric Scotland at
http://www.electricscotland.com/rss/whatsnew.php and you can
unsubscribe to this newsletter by clicking on the link at the foot
of this newsletter.
See our Calendar of Scottish Events around the world at
http://www.electricscotland.com/familytree/calendar_help.htm
It's your Electric Scotland newsletter meaning the weekend is nearly
here :-)
CONTENTS
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Electric Scotland News
The Flag in the Wind
The Scottish Nation
Poetry and Stories
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1845)
Book of Scottish Story
History of Glasgow
The Scottish Historical Review
The Concise Household Encyclopaedia
Sketches of North Carolina
John Knox, A Biography
Merchants and Municipal Benefactors from Scots in America
Robert Burns - His Life In His Letters (New Book)
The Herring Lassies (New Book)
Polar Bear attack in Canada!
Calum Colvin, Scottish Artist
Electric Scotland's 2009 Calendar
ELECTRIC SCOTLAND NEWS
---------------------
Bit the bullet this week and have arranged to get my house
re-roofed! Not an insignificant cost but needs doing. As the US/CAN
dollar is in my favour right now I figured this was the time to get
it done.
-----
As you know I like to work on different subjects and am currently
working on "Children's Rhymes. Children's Games, Children's Songs,
Children's Stories
A Book for Bairns and Big Folk" by Robert Ford (1904).
I will say that this book is well worth having on the site but it's
a monumental pain to do as the font is not friendly to my ocr
software so I'm almost having to type it all in.
-----
I've been very interested in noting the large amount of comments
coming into our comment service from school children. One commented
that the page he was reading was going to help him with a test he
was doing. He later came back to say he'd received an A+ :-)
Quite a few are also reading our children's stories and also
commenting on them.
While there are some daft comments coming in there have been some
really interesting comments as well and so this looks to become a
good service for the site. I note that some of the children like
experimenting with the smilies :-)
-----
I put up a Christmas graphic on our index page and if you click on
it you'll get to our special Christmas page we post up every year.
You can get to this at
http://www.electricscotland.com/index.html
-----
We were up and down during Wednesday evening. This was due to a
faulty power supply and since being replaced we've been fine.
ABOUT THE STORIES
-----------------
Some of the stories in here are just parts of a larger story so do
check out the site for the full versions. You can always find the
link in our "What's New" section at the link at the top of this
newsletter or on our site menu.
THE FLAG IN THE WIND
--------------------
This weeks Flag is compiled by Mark Hirst. Mark has done two indepth
articles this week, one on "Calman Commission proves damp squid, but
what’s next on the menu?" and "More than a game". The first article
explores what the commission said about an Independent Scotland and
the second is about whether there should be a GB football team.
In Peter's cultural section he's telling us about Fishing Boats...
One of the most interesting programmes on the new digital Gaelic
television channel BBC Alba was a weekly visit to different museums
such as Fort William and The Smith in Stirling. The one that really
caught my eye started at sea and featured the Fraserburgh registered
Fifie Reaper. The Reaper was built at Sandhaven near Fraserburgh in
1902 as a 70 foot two-masted lugger and was first registered at
Fraserburgh in the same year (FR958). In 1916 she had an engine
fitted for the first time – a Gardner 75 hp. She was purchased by
the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstuther, Fife, in 1979 and
restored to her original appearance and now proudly occupies a berth
at Anstruther, just in front of the Museum. The museum which is open
all-year round was founded in 1969 and has considerably expanded
over the years. The site has connections to fishing going back over
600 years when the land was owned by the Abbey of Balmerino and
rented to local fishermen. The collection of over 65,000 objects
includes historic boats, such as the Reaper, paintings, fishing
gear, costumes, photographs, domestic items and much more. The
museum has been rightly recognised by the Scottish Government as
being of ‘National Significance’. The Fisheries Museum also includes
a ‘Memorial Room’ which tells the ‘real price of fish’ – the lives
of the many fishermen lost around the Scottish coast. Visit
http://www.scottishmuseum.org for full details including
visiting times.
Only a fish recipe would be appropriate for a week when we visit the
Fisheries Museum and mackerel fresh from the Forth is just the
ticket. Enjoy Mackerel Baked in Foil but remember that the real
price of fish is paid in blood.
Mackerel Baked in Foil
Ingredients: 2 whole mackerel; 1 lemon; 4 fresh rosemary sprigs; 2
garlic cloves, sliced; 1 small red onion, thinly sliced; 4 tbsp
cider or apple juice; boiled potatoes; roughly chopped parsley, to
serve; salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 or fan oven 180C/350F/Gas 4 from
cold. Put each fish on a large square of tin foil or baking paper on
a baking sheet. Season the fish inside and out with salt and pepper.
Slice the lemon, then cut each slice in half. Tuck the lemon slices
inside each fish with a couple of rosemary sprigs and a few garlic
slices. Scatter over the onion and pour 2 tbsp of cider or apple
juice over each fish. Wrap tin foil or baking paper loosely around
each fish to make a parcel, and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with
boiled potatoes sprinkled with parsley.
You can read the Flag, listen to the Scots Language, enjoy the Scots
Wit and lots more at
http://www.scotsindependent.org
we've got another diary entry from Christina McKelvie MSP at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/mckelvie/081211.htm
The Scottish Nation
-------------------
My thanks to Lora for transcribing these volumes for us.
We've now completed the W's with Wishart, Witherspoon, Wodrow, Wood,
Wyntoun and Wynzet and onto the Y's with Young.
An interesting account of Wood which starts...
WOOD, SIR ANDREW, of Largo, a celebrated Scottish admiral of the
16th century, is generally stated to have been born about the middle
of the 15th century at the old Kirkton of Largo, Fifeshire, and was
originally a merchant trader of Leith. His genius for naval warfare
had been cultivated by his frequent encounters with French, English,
and Portuguese pirates in defence of his ships and merchandise. By
James III. he was employed in several warlike and diplomatic
missions, which he executed with fidelity and honour. He possessed
and commanded two armed vessels, of about 300 tons each, called The
Flower and the Yellow Caravel. With these he made voyages to the
Dutch and Hanse towns, whither in those days the Scots sent wool and
hides, bringing “therefrom small mercery and haberdashery ware in
great quantities; moreover, half the Scottish ships came generally
laden from Flanders with cart wheels and wheelbarrows.” He bravely
attacked and repulsed a squadron of English ships which appeared in
the Firth of Forth in 1481, and the same year gallantly and
successfully defended Dumbarton when besieged by the fleet of Edward
IV. James III. granted to him, as master of the “Yellow Kerval,”
(Alexander duke of Albany being then lord-high-admiral,) a tack or
lease of the lands of Largo to keep his ship in repair, and the same
monarch, on 18th March 1482, conferred on him for his eminent
services by land and sea, in peace and in war, a charter under the
great seal, to him and his heirs in fee, of the lands and village of
Largo. He also knighted him. This charter was confirmed by James IV.
in 1497.
You can read the rest of this account at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/wood.htm
You can read all these entries at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/index.htm
Poetry and Stories
------------------
Another poem from John Henderson called "Faither an Dochter" which
you can read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerel291.htm
We also have some new poems and articles from Donna, Alastair and
others in our Article Service at
http://www.electricscotland.com/article/
I might add that I post up a story or two each week about things
happening in Scotland under the category "Current Affairs".
One of the stories from Donna this week is...
Gramma's True Confessions, Depression Memories - Page 14
Gramma’s True Confessions - Depressions Memories
“What’s a depression, Gramma?” My grandchild asks.
“Do you mean when a person is sad?” My younger siblings, children
and now grandchildren hate it when I answer their question with a
question, but, oh well. Can a leopard change its spots? There I go
again.
“No Gramma, not that kind of depression.” The child’s wary
expression tells me what they are thinking. “Gramma is trying to
make us think, and I’m not gonna’.”
“Oh you mean the one that has to do with economy?” I acknowledge
their inquiry.
“Yes, that one. The one everyone is talking about. I don’t know what
they mean.” This innocent child is honestly asking for
understanding.
“I remember when I was your age,” my grandchild is well aware of my
story telling ways and comfortably rests their chin on hands in
readiness for the forthcoming tale.
“It seems my memory of that time period is all in greys, black white
and browns. Even the colors were drab and dull. Unlike our home in
the Osage the house of my Ponca grandmother held severely plain
furnishings, clean, but definitely of no particular style. Her
lifestyle and regimen went to cooking and very little time was spent
on decorating the house. Dark green, blackout, window shades were
behind the colorless, shallow folds of curtains. Today that kind of
decor might be found in a television show back drop for a terror
movie. Nevertheless, my Native American grandmother was gentle and
kind. Her pleasant ways off set the severity of her surroundings.
I suppose my personality might be called precocious, today. Events
going on around me were what were of interest to me. Quietly, lest I
be discovered, I observed many of the adult’s activities. Those were
the days of “children should be seen and not heard.”
Persons of curiosity for me, were what Gramma called Tramps, who
came to her door with quite some regularity. The tattered men, some
young and some quite aged held a humble, quiet attitude.
“Please Mam, I’m hungry?” Their request was always the same. Gramma
kept something warm in the oven at all times so that she could hand
the sad eyed men, something to eat. No napkin or paper towel was
available so short on rations were the people of the United States.
She handed them the food with nothing but her hand and they
willingly accepted the gift with a humble, “Thank you, Kindly Lady.”
Once I broke my cover of quiet observance by asking an uncle, “How
do they know to come to Gramma’s door and none of the other
neighbors.”
“They have a code they use, and a place to put up informative marks.
The symbols tell of the location of a house where a kindly woman
will have food for them. These may be scratched on a telephone pole,
or someplace where they, in advance, have agreed with their fellow
wandering men to look.”
So this was the way of that family. The uncle who took time to
explain to a child the goings on of the world in depression and the
grandmother who took time to share a bit of her food supplies with
the hungry, pitiful men, who came to her door. And this is all I can
tell you about The Great Depression at the moment. Go on the
computer and read about it yourself.
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-depression10-2008dec10,0,1456860.story
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1845)
------------------------------------------
We have now added the Parish of Carnwath to the Lanark volume. Here
is a bit from it...
Name, Extent, &c.—THE parish of Carnwath is situated in the upper
ward of Lanarkshire, 27 miles S. E. of Glasgow, and 25 miles S. W.
of Edinburgh. In some of the old writings belonging to the family of
Lockhart of Lee, who is now the proprietor of the estate, I find it
frequently written Cairnwath. The name is descriptive of the
situation of the place, as there is a cairn immediately west of the
house and village of Carnwath, (which will be noticed more
particularly afterwards,) and near the bottom of that cairn there is
a wath, which, as my predecessor remarks, means in the Saxon
language a ford. Such is probably the derivation of the name. The
oldest people in the place report, that the wath or ford at the
cairn was almost the only pass across the burn of Carnwath at all
practicable before it was confined by a cut being made within a
narrower space, and bridges thrown over it. The parish is very
extensive, being 12 miles from south to north, and 8 from east to
west. Its form is pretty regular, (an oblong square,) and it is
bounded on the west by the parish of Carstairs; on the east by
Dunsyre; on the south by the parishes of Libberton and Pettinain;
and on the north by West Calder.
You can read this account at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/statistical/carnwath.htm
The index page for the New Statistical Account of Scotland (1845)
can be found at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/statistical/
Book of Scottish Story
----------------------
Our thanks to John Henderson for sending this in for us.
This week have added...
The Unlucky Top Boots
This is chapter 2 of a 2 chapter story and here is how it starts...
About four miles distant from the town in which Mr Aikin lived,
there resided an extensive coal-mine proprietor of the name of
Davidson; and it so happened that he, too, had a predilection for
that particular article of dress, already so often named, viz., top
boots; indeed, he was never known to wear anything else in their
place. Davidson was an elderly gentleman, harsh and haughty in his
manner, and extremely mean in all his dealings—a manner and
disposition which made him greatly disliked by the whole country,
and especially by his workmen, the miners, of whom he employed
upwards of a hundred and Fifty. The abhorrence in which Mr Davidson
was at all times held by his servants, was at this particular moment
greatly increased by an attempt which he was making to reduce his
workmen’s wages; and to such a height had their resentment risen
against their employer, that some of the more ferocious of them were
heard to throw out dark hints of personal violence; and it was much
feared by Davidson’s friends—of whom he had, however, but a very
few, and these mostly connected with him by motives of interest—that
such an occurrence would, in reality, happen one night or other, and
that at no great distance of time. Nor was this fear groundless.
You can read the rest of this at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/story70b.htm
The other stories can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/index.htm
The History of Glasgow
----------------------
By Robert Renwick LL.D. and Sir John Lindsay L.D. in 3 volumes
(1921)
We are now onto the final 3rd volume and added this week are the
following chapters...
Chapter XXVII
"The Tobacco Lords"
Chapter XXVIII
Borrowing and Bridge Building
Chapter XXIX
A Typical Glasgow Family
Chapter XXX
Prosperous Years
Chapter XXXI
James Watt: Canals and the Steam Engine
Chapter XXXII
Revolt of the American Colonies
Chapter XXXIII
Manufactures and Manufacturers
Here is how Chapter XXIX starts...
THE change of mind towards a more liberal view of life and more
generous habit of living which became obvious in the city after the
middle of the eighteenth century was a result not only of the tide
of wealth which came flowing there from overseas, and the close
communication with continental countries brought about by the
tobacco trade, but of the closer relations with London which had
gradually grown up since the Union. Already Glasgow business men
were finding their way to the south, and establishing themselves in
leading positions in the English capital.
Outstanding among these pioneers was a member of a family whose
story strikingly illustrates the rising fortunes of that time. The
Oswalds were of Orcadian descent, having migrated from Kirkwall to
Wick, where their representative was a bailie in the seventeenth
century. The bailie had two sons—James Oswald, Episcopal minister of
Watten in Caithness, and George, Presbyterian minister of Dunnet in
the same county. Each of these ministers, again, had two sons. The
sons of the Episcopal minister, Richard and Alexander Oswald, came
to Glasgow in time to profit by the development of the tobacco
trade. They evidently also carried on a large business as wine
merchants, for they appear frequently in the city records in receipt
of payments for wine supplied for Communion in the city churches, as
well as for gifts to "the town's friends" and " treating of
nobility." [Burgh Records, 6th June, 1746. The " nobility " were
treated to " claret wine " at 26s. sterling per dozen. On an
occasion like the celebration of the King's birthnight, in October
1738, when the Town Councillors and their friends managed to put
away seventeen and a half dozen "claret wine" and one dozen white
wine, they were content with a less expensive vintage. Richard
Oswald's charge was £18 18s. sterling for the consignment.] Richard
was the more active of the brothers, and very soon took a leading
part in industries outside the partnership. In 1741 he was a partner
in the rope factory at Port-Glasgow which undertook, for certain
concessions, to perform such public services as the repair of the
quay and the dredging of the harbour [Ibid. 30th June, 1741, ]; and
three years later, having become a partner in the bottle-work at the
Broomielaw, he proceeded to put new energy into the business and
extend the size of the factory. [Ibid. 17th Jan. 1744.] The brothers
were suspected of Jacobite leanings, on account of their Episcopal
connection, and, probably for that reason, Richard was employed as
one of the six commissioners to treat with Hay, Prince Charles
Edward's emissary, regarding the demands made upon the city in 1745.
Alexander was one of the "sea adventurers" mentioned by McUre in his
History in 1736, and his adventures were not confined entirely to
the matters of peaceful trade.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/glasgow/glasgow3_29.htm
The index page of the book is at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/glasgow/historyndx.htm
The Scottish Historical Review
------------------------------
I have added a couple more articles from these publications...
The Scots in Ulster
A close connection has existed for nearly a thousand years between
the west of Scotland and the north of Ireland, and a stream of
migration has for eight hundred years flown as strongly from east to
west as from west to east.
Medical Folk-Lore in the Highlands of Scotland
The writer, Dr. Fortescue Fox, Strathpeffer Spa, and the Editor of
The Lancet, have most kindly permitted us to reprint the following
paper, which we are sure will prove most interesting to many of our
readers.
You can read these articles at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/articles/review
The Concise Household Encyclopaedia
-----------------------------------
This week have added...
Four more pages which include, Chicken, Chickenpox, Chickweed,
Chicory or Succory, Chiffon, Chiffonier or Cheffonier, Chignon,
Chilblaines, Child: Its Care and Training, Childbirth.
You can see these at
http://www.electricscotland.com/household/c.htm
The index page for this publication is at
http://www.electricscotland.com/household/index.htm
Sketches of North Carolina
--------------------------
Historical and Biographical, illustrative of the Principles of a
portion of her Early Settlers by Rev. William Henry Foote (1846)
We've now added several more chapters to this book...
Chapter XIX - Major-General Joseph Graham
His place of residence. His employment. His habits of intercourse.
His origin. Time and place of his birth. His education. Enters the
army, 1778. In various expeditions. Taken with a fever. At work in
the field when the news of the enemy's approach reached him. Takes
the field as Adjutant. The attack on Charlotte. The enemy three
times repulsed. The Carolina forces retreat. Locke killed. Graham
left for dead. Revives and is conveyed away. Taken to the Hospital.
After his recovery raises a company of fifty-five men at his own
expense, Dec., 1750. Battle of Cowpens, Jan. 1781. Posted at Cowan's
Ford. Davidson killed. Graham follows the enemy. Surprises Hart's
Mill. At the surprise of Col. Pyles. The time of enlistment
expiring, his men return home. Rutherford raises a force and Graham
becomes Major. Marches to Wilmington. His last engagement. Sheriff.
Member of Assembly. Marries. Removes to Lincoln county. Appointed
General. Marches against the Indians. Basis of his political creed.
Extract from Judge Murphy's Oration. His religious creed. His moral
and religious character and intercourse with men. Death and burial.
His Portrait.
Chapter XX - Battle of King's Mountain
By whom drawn up. Situation of the country after Gates's defeat,
1780. Cornwallis sends out Col. Ferguson. His march. The increase of
his force. Their arms. His threats to the Mountain Men (Tennesseeans
and Kentuckians). McDowell, and Sevier, and Shelby, in consultation.
Raise forces. The number in camp at place of rendezvous. Ferguson
retreats and sends a dispatch to Cornwallis. His march to King's
mountain. The Colonels send for a General Officer. In the meantime
Col. Campbell commands. Col. Williams of South Carolina joins them
on their march. Approach Ferguson's Camp. Plan of Battle. Come in
sight of the enemy. Position of the enemy's camp. Order of the
troops. The battle begins. Ferguson charges and is driven back;
second and third charge. Fire all round the mountain. Ferguson
charges repeatedly and is driven back; is wounded; is killed. Bearer
of the flag shot down; another is raised. They throw down their
arms. The killed and wounded. The court-martial. Executions.
Monument to Major Chronicle and others. Col. Williams. Colonels
DM'Dowcll, Hambritc, Sevier and Cleveland. Col. Campbell, of
Virginia; his burial place. Anecdote of Col. Ferguson. Anecdote of
Campbell. Anecdote of Preston.
Chapter XXI - The Battle at Guilford Court-House
Plan of the battle. Circumstances of the pursuit. Its end. Burning
of M'Aden's library. The preludes of the battle. Col. Webster's
escape. Cornwallis in Buffalo Congregation; in Alamance; at Dr.
Caldwell's. The sufferings of the family. The burning of his
library. The commencement of the battle. The battle-ground. The
situation of Greene's army. Extract of a letter showing the effects
of the first fire. Extract from a soldier's diary. Death of Col.
Webster. The militia.
Chapter XXII - Minutes of the Synod of the Carolinas from 1783 to
1801, Inclusive with the Roll of the Members
Formation of the Synod. The Presbyteries and their members. The
first meeting in Centre Rowan. An overture respecting the Catechism.
Second meeting. The report respecting the Catechism taken up again.
Overture on horse-racing, card-playing, dancing and revelling.
Overture on attending on divine worship. Ordered that the overtures
and answers be read in all the churches. Marriage with wife's
sister's daughter condemned. Third .Meeting. Overtures for printing
part of Dr. Doddridge's works. Day of Thanksgiving. Fourth Meeting.
Preparation made for printing Dr. Doddridge's work on Regeneration,
and his Rise and Progress. Decision respecting Psalmody. Question
respecting Universalists sent up to the Assembly. Question
respecting admitting Members, are they to assent to the Confession
of Faith? &c. Commission of Synod appointed. Steps taken to collect
materials for history of the Presbyterian Church. Domestic Missions
commenced in earnest. Four Missionaries appointed. Statistical
reports from the Presbyteries of Orange and South Carolina. Fifth
Meeting. Decision of the General Assembly on the question sent up
the last meeting respecting admitting Universalists to communion, in
the negative. Printing of Doddridge's work. Report from the
Commission of Synod on Missionary operations. A peculiar instruction
to the missionaries. Their report on judicial business. Synod
approved their doings. Sixth Meeting. Erring members to be speedily
called upon. Letter from the Rev. Henry Pattillo; his request that
it be admitted to record. Propose to send out laymen rather than
seize upon foreigners. Report concerning Doddridge's works.
Commission of Synod report concerning the Missionaries. Seventh
Meeting. Synod direct the Presbytery of Orange to decide on the case
of Mr. Archibald; which they forthwith did, and he was suspended.
Directions respecting materials for history of the Church.
Commission of Synod report respecting the Missionaries; full report.
Mutual reports from Ministers and Sessions to Presbyteries. Eighth
Meeting. Direct the Presbytery of Orange to ordain Mr. McGee sine
titulo. Presbytery of Orange divided and Concord constituted. Report
to Synod respecting the printing of Doddridge's works. Day of
fasting appointed. Xinth Meeting. Failure of printing Doddridge's
work. Hopewell Presbytery set off. Question respecting the evidence
of baptized slaves. Injunction to give slaves religious
instructions. Attention of Synod taken up by the difficulties in
Abingdon Presbytery; a new Presbytery constituted there. Mr.
Gilleland's memorial about his course respecting slavery. Synod
agree with his Presbytery. Tenth Meeting. A Commission of Synod
appointed; suspend the Independent Presbytery. .Minutes of the
Commission of Synod. Its members; 14 ministers and 12 elders. The
Commission restore the suspended members. Charges against Hezekiah
Balch. 1st charge; of this he was cleared. 2d charge; false
doctrines. This referred to the General Assembly; a curious
statement. 3d charge; in part sustained. 4th charge; on this he was
condemned by the Commission as irregular. Abingdon Presbytery
divided, and Union Presbytery set off. Overture on promiscuous
communion. Eleventh Meeting. Suspension removed from Mr. Crawford.
Charges against Mr. Balch read. Mr. Balch brings charges against the
old session. Extraordinary Session, 1799. Thirty folio pages of
evidence produced and read. 3d and 4th charges against Mr. Balch not
sustained. On the 5th charge the Synod decided against Mr. Balch.
The two other charges not sustained. Synod suspend Mr. Balch and
four elders. The matter settled. Twelfth Meeting, 1799. Overture on
the subject of marriage in the forbidden degree. Mr. Bowman's case
taken up. Reports from four of the Presbyteries. South Carolina
Presbytery divided. Thirteenth ..Meeting. Two independent Minis'ers
invited to a seat. Overture respecting a petition to the Legislature
on Abolition dismissed. The Missionary business. Two Missionaries
sent to the Patches. Will a private acknowledgment of wrong be taken
for a public confession? Negative. Mr. Balch complains of, the
Presbytery of Abingdon. Greenville Presbytery set off. Complaint
about Mr. Witherspoon. Fourteenth Meeting Reports from the
Missionaries to the latches. Case of incestuous marriage. -Mr.
Balch's complaints taken up. Mr. Wither-spoon's case decided.
Synod's solemn recommendations. Synod ordered the subject of
Missions to be laid before the Congregations, and collections to be
taken up. Case of Green Spring and Sinking Spring. Missionaries to
Mississippi Territory.
Chapter XXIII - Emigration to Tennessee
Tennessee settled early from Carolina. Meaning of Mountain Men, &c.
Emigration from other States. The first Minister in Tennessee. The
Rev. Samuel Doak. Martin Academy. Washington College. His early life
and his usefulness. Rev. Samuel Houston. Rev. Messrs. Hezekiah Balch
and Samuel Carrick. Mr. Craighead. Abingdon Presbytery. Trustees of
Washington College, of Blount College, and of Greenville College.
Chapter XXIV - James Hall D.D., and the Churches in Iredell
Clergymen in the army; some gave up their ministry. James Hall
served as a soldier and continued a preacher. Birth-place. Place of
Emigration. Names of families emigrating. Minute of Synod of
Philadelphia in 1753. Minute in 1754. Minute in 1757. Minute of
Synod of New York in 1755. Minute from the Synod of New York and
Philadelphia. Efforts for Ministers. Salary promised; eighty pounds
for half the time. Hall's early instruction. The coming of a
Missionary. Minute for 1764 by Synod. Mr. Hall unites with the
church. His early habits and desires as a Christian. Devotes himself
to the Ministry. A perplexing incident the cause of his remaining
single through life. His age when he commences the Classics. His
taste for Mathematics. Is graduated at Princeton. Dr. Witherspoon's
opinion of him. Licensed to preach the GospeI. Ministers in Carolina
at that time. Mr. Hall installed Pastor. His Elders. Espouses cause
of the Revolution. Raises a company of cavalry to go to South
Carolina. An incident reconnoitreing. Raises a second company. A
third company raised and Mr. Hall goes with them. A novel scene in
preaching. His qualifications as a commander. General Greene
proposes him for General to fill the place of Davidson. A revival of
Religion in his charge. His first attendance on the Synod. Commences
his Missionary excursions. A pioneer to the Natches. His reports of
his Missions. His attendance on the General Assembly. His journeys
to the Assembly. An incident. Trains men for the Ministry. Clio's
Nursery. Opens an Academy of Science at his own house. Prepares a
Grammar for his young people. A circulating library. List of
preachers educated by him. Favors the establishment of a Theological
Seminary. Member of the Bible Society. Anecdote. His boldness and
independence, an anecdote of. His manner of preaching. His
occasional melancholy, anecdote of it. His tenderness for the
suffering of others under it. Made Doctor of Divinity by Nassau Hall
and University of N. C. His death and burial.
Chapter XXV - Rev. Lewis Feuilleteau Wilson
The successor of Dr. Hall in his charge of Concord and Fourth Creek.
Origin and birth. Is sent to England. Emigrates to New Jersey and
enters College. Revival in Princeton College in 1772. His religious
experience. Great opposition. Anecdote. Becomes convicted, hopefully
converted. His succeeding course. His view of College Honors. Visits
England. Wishes to enter the Ministry. His Father's wishes. His
Father offended and disinherits him. He returns to America.
Commences Theological reading with Dr. Witherspoon. His perplexity
of mind. Commences the study of Medicine. Enters the Army. His
father's death. A Legacy. Settles in Princeton. His deportment in
the Army. Mr. Hall persuades him to remove to Iredell, N. C. His
marriage. Desires to enter the Ministry. The people also desire it.
Licensed by Orange Presbytery in 1791. Becomes Pastor of Concord and
Fourth Creek. The Revival of 1802. His views of it. Leaves Fourth
Creek. His successors there. His death. His character by John M.
Wilson of Rocky River. His manner of preaching. His dying exercises.
You can read these at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/america/nc/
John Knox, A Biography
----------------------
By D. MacMillan M.A. (1905)
Now making progress on this biography with several chapters up this
week...
Chapter VII - Knox on the Continent
Chapter VIII - Visits Scotland
Chapter IX - Political Writings
Chapter X - Preparing for Scotland
Chapter XI - The Revolution Begins
Chapter XII - The Revolution Continues
Chapter XIII - End of the Revolution
Here is how Chapter XI starts...
KNOX'S arrival in Edinburgh (2nd of May 1559) was the signal for
renewed activity on both sides. The Queen Regent was in Glasgow, and
on the third day after his arrival she ordered him to be "blown loud
to the horn." It will be remembered that after his departure in 1556
he was excommunicated and burned in effigy, and outlawry was
involved in the sentence then passed. He remained only two nights in
Edinburgh, for hearing that the brethren had assembled in force in
Dundee he hastened to join them. "I am come," he writes to his
friend Mrs. Locke, "I am come, I praise God even in the brunt of the
battle, if God impede not I shall present myself" before the Queen
and Council, "there by life, by death, or else by both, to glorify
His godly name who thus mercifully hath heard my long cries."
The Protestants who had assembled at Dundee were incensed by the
preachers being summoned to appear before the Queen Regent at
Stirling on the 10th of May, and they determined to march in a body
on Perth, Knox accompanying them. It being their object to avoid
every sign of rebellion, they sent Erskine of Dun to lay their
demands before the Regent. She promised to delay the summons, but
almost immediately afterwards she broke her promise and proclaimed
the preachers as outlaws. "The multitude," says Knox, "on learning
this was so inflamed that neither could the exhortation of the
preacher nor the commandment of the magistrate stay them from
destroying of the places of idolatry."
We here touch on a question that has been much and even hotly
debated: Whether the Protestant preachers, and notably Knox, were
responsible for the destruction of the numerous rich and beautiful
Religious Houses that then adorned Scotland? One fact at least is
clear, that the beginning of the iconoclastic work was due to the
perfidy of the Queen Regent, whose breach of faith in the case of
the preachers incited the populace to their task of destruction.
Still there can be no denying the fact that Knox, and those who
thought with him, preached against image worship of every kind, and
he himself states that immediately before the first considerable
attack on the Religious Houses of Scotland was made, he had from the
pulpit been stirring up the people against idolatry of all sorts.
Indeed, it would seem that the very next day after the preachers
were outlawed he himself delivered a vehement discourse against
idolatry. At its close a priest, in contempt, attempted to celebrate
the Mass. Among the audience was a young boy who rebuked the priest
for thus violating the Word of God. The latter 44 struck the child a
great blow, who in anger took up a stone, and casting at the priest
did hit the tabernacle and broke down an image, and immediately the
whole multitude that was about cast stones and put hands to the same
tabernacle and to all other monuments of idolatry." That was the
beginning of a general attack on the Religious Houses of Perth, and
the "rascal multitude," as Knox calls them, rejoicing in the
opportunity for riot which the occasion gave them, very soon
demolished the three most notable ecclesiastical buildings in the
city, including the Charter House, an edifice of "wondrous cost and
greatness"; so thorough was the work of destruction that only the
walls remained of these glorious buildings. This was the beginning
of trouble, and all over the country sacred edifices that had been
erected at great labour and much expense shared the same fate as
those of Perth.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/knox/knox11.htm
The other chapters can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/knox/index.htm
Merchants and Municipal Benefactors
-----------------------------------
Another chapter from "The Scots in America".
Here is how this chapter starts...
It may safely be laid down as a self-evident truth that every
Scotsman in America who has gained position or eminence or wealth,
or all three, has worked hard. Among the Scotch community, even in
the fourth or fifth generation removed from the "Land o' Cakes,"
there are no idlers, no "gilded youth," no merely empty loungers on
the face of the earth. We find Scotsmen and their famihes moving in
the very highest social circles in each community—among the "Four
Hundred," to use a ridiculous expression that has come into use in
recent years—but they all seem to engage in business of some sort.
They do not figure much, if at all, in what loves to be
distinguished as the "smart set," the butterflies whose only object
in the world seems to be to derive pleasure from it, pleasure
sometimes innocent, sometimes brutal, sometimes silly, always
extravagant, and a standing menace to the peace of the community.
The main purpose in life, if there be any purpose, after all, of
such creatures is to draw themselves into a class apart from the
common herd, to ape the manners of the aristocracy of the Old World,
and this latter purpose they accomplish in such a way as to win the
disgust of every honest citizen and the contempt of every honest
aristocrat.
If we designed to devote a chapter to titled personages in this
book, it might easily be done. The adventures of the members of the
British peerage alone in America would fill many pages and would
include soldiers, statesmen, sightseers, hunters and adventurers—for
even the latter class are found legitimately occupying a line, at
least, in the standard peerages. Such a chapter would, however,
include names like that of Lady Macdonald, who enjoys a Peerage
through the services which her late husband, Sir John A. Macdonald,
rendered to the Empire; and of Lord Mount Stephen, who won his
peerage by his own successful and eminently useful life, as well as
those of many baronets and knights. It would also refer to an old
title, that of Baron de Longueuil, a French title of nobility
originally granted by Louis XIV., but recognized by Great Britain.
The dignity was first conferred on a French subject, Charles Le
Moyne, but as might, somehow, be expected, the present holder of the
title, Charles Colman Grant, is more entitled to be regarded as of
Scotch descent than the representative of a French family. The
chapter would also chronicle the story of an olcl Scotch title which
has been so long held by residents of this country that they pride
themselves as much from their descent from Colonial ancestors as
from their Saxon forbears—Saxons who were prominent in England
before the advent of the Romans. The title, Baron Cameron of
Fairfax, in the peerage of Scotland, was bestowed by Charles I. in
1627 upon Sir Thomas Fairfax of Denton, an Englishman. The family
never had an connection with Scotland, however, beyond the title,
but the name yet stands on the roll of the Scottish peers and is
still called at each assemblage of these peers in Holyrood to elect
their representatives in the British House of Lords. The
representative of the family, the holder of this ancient title,
still resides in Virginia, but so far as we can trace he and his
immediate progenitors, as soldiers, preachers, or physicians, have
done something to justify their existence, have pursued some
recognized profession.
But all this reference to nobility is merely a digression by way of
variety in the opening matter of a new department of our story. Here
we have to deal with what may be called the nobility of business. To
acquire eminence in trade, finance, or commerce, especially in view
of the ever-watchful and sometimes unscrupulous competition which
prevails in all large business centres, a man needs rare qualities,
and a successful merchant is generally an individual possessing not
only a clear head, but a large heart. If we could enumerate the
practical charitable institutions of the world, group together the
art galleries, museums, and halls of learning, we would find that
successful business men, when not their founders, were their most
liberal benefactors. We will get abundant evidence of this as the
present chapter proceeds, and will find also that these same
business, moneymaking, men were sterling and self-sacrificing
patriots whenever occasion arose for the display of that quality.
Such men are entitled to be called nature's noblemen—men who hold
their patents of nobility from Almighty God.
We could place the life, for instance, of Alexander Milne, an
Edinburgh man who was long a merchant in New Orleans, as a
pattern—one which could be surpassed by the product of no other
class. After a noteworthy and commercially irreproachable career, he
became distinguished for his philanthropy, although the world never
knew its extent or imagined the amount of thought and care he
exercised in trying to do as much good as possible to his
fellow-men. Even the good he did lived—and lives—after he had passed
away, for when he died, in 1838, at the age of ninety-four years, it
was found that he left most of his fortune to endow the Milne
Hospital for the orphan boys of New Orleans.
You can read the rest of this at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/america/scotinamerica_chap8.htm
Robert Burns - His Life In His Letters
--------------------------------------
This is a currently unpublished book by George Scott Wilkie which
he's kindly allowed us to publish on the site. 433 pages and 1.1Mb
download.
The Introduction starts...
Burns’ fame as a poet and song-writer is unquestioned, but hidden
behind that fame lies another Robert Burns. Not only was he a great
Bard, but he was also a man with a phenomenal ability to write
letters, letters that reveal him to be a man of erudition, as well
as of great compassion.
He loved the written word and wrote hundreds of letters to an
assortment of people on a wide range of subjects. His introduction
into Edinburgh’s bourgeois society opened up opportunities for him
to correspond with people of good education and allowed him to
develop his writing technique as he wore out quill after quill in
his unending desire to commit his thoughts to paper.
This collection of letters, arranged chronologically, offers an
opportunity to discover the inner Burns in his own words as he
describes the many twists and turns in his eventful, but tragically
short life. They illustrate how his life arched upwards from his
poverty-stricken childhood, rising to his fame and fortune before
sliding downhill once again to poverty and ill-health. They also
show clearly how his character altered from being a pupil hungry to
learn, to that of a young man desperate to find true love, and of
his many liaisons in the pursuit of such, becoming eventually that
of a hard-working and conscientious husband and father, forced by
circumstances to accept employment within the establishment that he
had so often mocked and scorned in his poetic works.
Unfortunately the great majority of letters received by Burns have
been lost to us forever owing to them having been stored in damp
conditions. Only a few have survived. However, one or two of his
early biographers have included some in their works, so we have
access to a small number.
Just how did a country lad from an extremely humble background
become such a prolific figure in the world of literature? What drove
Robert Burns to see far beyond the furrows of his plough and become
one of the world’s finest wordsmiths?
To try to find an answer to that question we will delve into the the
early life of the Bard and we start by referring to a letter,
written not by Robert, but by his brother Gilbert, sent to Dr James
Currie after the death of the poet.
You can read the rest of this Introduction and download the book at
http://www.electricscotland.com/burns/letters.html
The Herring Lassies
-------------------
Stan Bruce sent in a slide show which goes through the history of
the Herring Lassies in 133 pictures. I've built that into a single
pdf file which I hope you'll enjoy. It is a 13.8Mb download. You can
download this at
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/banff/herring_lassies.pdf
Polar Bear attack in Canada
---------------------------
You just need to see these awful pictures... just terrible :-)
http://www.electricscotland.com/humour/h88.htm
Calum Colvin, Scottish Artist
-----------------------------
Artists Statement
My work is a hybrid of concerns and practices from the disciplines
of Sculpture, Painting, Electronic Imaging and Photography. I use
painting and lighting techniques in the construction of elaborate
narrative tableau, which are photographed and exhibited as
large-scale colour photographic prints. I am interested in the
process of transformation that occurs when everyday objects are
juxtaposed with painted images (often) appropriated from the annals
of Western Art History. The visual illusions/allegories are intended
to draw the viewer into a creative dialogue as the images are
interpreted, touching on themes of gender, art, history and national
identity.
We have up an interview with him and also some pictures of his
artwork at
http://www.electricscotland.com/art/colvin.htm
Electric Scotland's 2009 Calendar
---------------------------------
Decided to design a one page calendar for 2009 which I did for
myself but then thought that some you may be interested in using it
and so you can print it off from
http://www.electricscotland.com/calander2009.htm
Probably not a bad idea to print it onto light card if you can or
better quality paper.
I also designed a company version with our contact information which
you can see at
http://www.electricscotland.com/calander2009co.htm
And that's it for this week and I hope you all have a wonderful
weekend :-)
Alastair
http://www.electricscotland.com
OUR NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
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