Cambuslang Clergy - The Established Protestant Churches

The Established Protestant Churches

During the years of the Reformation, Cambuslang clergy were sometimes priests of the Episcopalian Church of Scotland and sometimes Ministers of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Several were doughty fighters for Presbyterianism, notably John Howison, while others, such as Patrick Hamilton gave much of their time to (sometimes provocative, not to say scurrilous) poetry. William M'Culloch organised great preaching festivals on the hillsides near his Kirk, inviting one of the founders of Methodism, George Whitefield to preach to upwards of 20,000 people. This “Cambuslang Wark” was part of an extraordinary series of revivalist movements which swept Scotland, England and New England in the 1740s. Subsequently, many of Mr M’Culloch’s Elders opposed the Duke of Hamilton’s nominee, Dr James Meek as his successor, on the grounds that he was unsound in doctrine. Dr Meek was a typical Moderate in the 18th Century Church of Scotland - well educated, ”enlightened”, well-connected - his friend and supporter was William Robertson, Principal of Edinburgh University - and more concerned with good Christian conduct, which often meant good order, than with what he thought of as the more contentious areas of scholastic Calvinist theology. He won the fight and became a much loved minister. He was followed in his place by Principal Robertson's nephew. This was The Rev Dr John Robertson, who, interestingly, died the year before a great split in the Church of Scotland over the long-standing issues, familiar to his predecessor, of Patronage and doctrine. Later Ministers lived quieter lives. The Rev Dr Robert Blair not only helped translate the Bible into Gaelic, but also found time to translate Gaelic Poetry. Robert Sibbald Calderwood wrote "Bible Stories", but also proclaimed his patriotism on the coronation of George V.