Kirk o` Shotts Great Revival
Livingstone had often been invited to preach at Shotts - the occasions provided him with more liberty and freedom to express himself than elsewhere. A perfect example of this was when he became involved with the memorable `Kirk o` Shotts Revival` as it was to become known.
He was asked to preach on 21 June, 1630, the day after communion had been celebrated before a large assembly that included many of the more eminently pious ladies of rank in that part of the country. The sequence of events that led to this is worth recounting.
Some of the forementioned `pious ladies` had been passing through Shotts one day when their carriage broke down. When the local minister, Rev. Hance, heard of their plight, he invited them to remain at the manse as his guests until their carriage was repaired.
The ladies were so impressed at this hospitality and assistance afforded them, that they arranged for a new manse to be erected for the church. One can only guess at the state of the original that brought this response from the ladies.
This was a magnaminous gesture, and as a token of gratitude, Rev. Hance invited the ladies to a special communion. He then desired them to intimate to him clergymen of their choice they would have him invite to preach.
One of these ladies was the Countess of Wigton. She and her husband, the Earl had previously bestowed patronage on John Livingstone, and indeed had invited him to preach regularly at their Hall in Cumbernauld after hearing of his failure to secure the ministry of Torphichen.
Lady Wigton was the daughter of Helenor Hay, the same lady who had failed to be converted by Livingstones` grandfather. She was at this time known as the Countess of Linlithgow. Now an old lady and on her death bed, John Livingstone was called to her side. On arrival he found that she had now embraced the Protestant faith.
Lady Wigton proposed him as her preacher for the Revival.
On the day there gathered "one great multitude of people." The events were such that those assembled did not depart, and spent the whole night in prayer. To Livingstone, this was the opportunity to "preach in an unusual degree."
On the morning of the day he was due to address the gathering, he set off alone to wander the fields nearby. Here he began to doubt himself as being worthy of the people`s expectation of him. At the age of 27 years and never having been inducted to a parish this would seem understandable.
He need not have worried. Strengthened with the words that came into his heart, `was I ever a barren wilderness or a land of darkness,` he returned and preached for one and a half hours from the text, Ezekial 36: 25-26. In offering to close, he was exhorted to a further hour`s deliverance. The effect was said to have been devastating, with over 500 people turning to God for salvation.
From this inspiring experience, he was once more thrown into despair of not having a parish of his own. Despite this, he consoled himself with having made the acquaintance of numerous ministers and professors by his travels. These were advantages he gained, he maintained. One of these was Robert Cunningham, minister of Hollywood, North of Ireland.
Several motions of calls were made to him: North Leith, Kirkcaldy, and Linlithgow among them, and where he preached by invitation. Always they were obstructed by the bishops.
Footnote:
[I hesitated about attaching this addendum, but then decided the reader could take from it whatever he/she wished.
When inserting the above text from the Book of Ezekial, my wife advised me to quote it in full in my book. Agreeing with her, I took my Bible and let it fall open in my hands. I was astounded to find it had opened at the exact page. I immediately showed it to her and we both agreed that it was a sign that I was doing the correct thing in compiling the narrative.
