God's Highlander (34 page)

‘He looks as though he stayed drinking indifferent whisky for too long last night,' whispered the Letterfinlay minister. ‘I trust he has stomach enough left for what will happen today.'

Wyatt nodded, without voicing a reply. The excitement of the occasion held him in its grip. He felt as he had during his army days, when a battle was imminent against frightening odds. The moment when every thinking man envied those who had found excuses to avoid the fighting.

When it seemed that no more spectators could be allowed into the building without those inside being crushed to death, a sudden hush fell upon the church.

The silence advanced with almost discernible precision ahead of Dr Welsh, who would be Moderator for only a few more minutes.

As Dr Welsh took the chair, the sound of marching feet could be heard outside the building and a fanfare heralded the arrival of Her Majesty's representative, the Marquis of Bute.

When the High Commissioner had taken his seat on the throne, attention immediately shifted to the Moderator. Pale, but dignified, Dr Welsh offered up the opening prayer. When the ‘Amen' died away, there was a brief moment of uncertainty before the Moderator addressed the General Assembly and Her Majesty's High
Commissioner for the last time, in a voice that carried to every man in the church.

‘Fathers and brethren. According to the usual form of procedure this is the time for making up the roll, but in consequence of certain proceedings affecting our rights and privileges – proceedings which have been sanctioned by Her Majesty's government, and by the legislature of the country – more especially in respect that there has been an infringement on the liberties of our Constitution, so that we could not now constitute this Court without a violation of the terms between Church and State in this land, as now authoritatively declared, I must protest against our proceeding further. The reasons that have led me to this conclusion are fully set forth in the document which I hold in my hand and which, with permission of this House, I shall now proceed to read.'

The hand that held the written protest shook slightly as Dr Welsh read out the principles the Church had tried unsuccessfully to uphold against the encroachment by the State.

When the Moderator reached the end of the protest, he declared that because of the State's interference all those who concurred would now withdraw from the Assembly. By this action they would sever all connection with the established church. They would go forth and seek to restore the original standards of the faith of the Church of Scotland in a free church.

A sigh escaped the lips of the assembled ministers. Every man there had been holding his breath, so as not to miss a single word of the Moderator's statement.

It was done! Now there could be no going back. No compromising. Those who followed the Moderator from the hall would raise the Lord's standard in a new and free church.

Dr Welsh laid the written protest on the table before him, bowed to the High Commissioner, then turned and walked to the door.

This was the moment for which the Assembly and most of Scotland had been waiting. How many of the ministers would follow Dr Welsh, thereby expelling themselves from the church they had served well for most of their long lives?

Two senior ministers fell in beside Dr Welsh, and as they passed from the building to the street others followed on behind. The waiting crowds cheered, then drew back to make a path for the ministers.

Inside the hall the moderates were smug at first as the two senior ministers stood up to follow the retiring Moderator. Their smugness changed to perplexity as more and more ministers and elders left their seats to join the growing procession of dissenters. As row after row left their seats, the dismay behind them grew.

Wyatt and Coll Kennedy waited respectfully for the members of the Assembly to pass before they joined with other ministers at the end of the long procession.

Before they did so, Wyatt gave Coil Kennedy a violent nudge and inclined his head towards the ministers who were passing. Among their number was the Reverend Hamilton Logan. Catching the eye of Wyatt, he appeared momentarily embarrassed. Then he inclined his head, and in that moment Wyatt knew the Disruption had succeeded.

Wyatt and Coll Kennedy followed their fellow-ministers to Tanfield. Here they would lay the foundation of the newborn Free Church of Scotland.

Watching them, unseen in the crowd, Factor John Garrett was well satisfied. At last he knew of a way to remove Wyatt from the living of Eskaig and prevent him from interfering in the plans he had laid for the Highland estates of the absent Lord Kilmalie.

A
LTHOUGH RESTLESS TO return to Eskaig, Wyatt was forced to remain in Edinburgh for nine days after the Disruption. There was much work to be done to ensure the success of the newly established Free Church of Scotland. Finance was of great importance. Much money was needed to build churches to serve the communities and bring them back to God.

Ironically, one of the first acts of the ministers of the Free Church was to sign the ‘deed of demission'. By this act 474 ministers signed away a hundred thousand pounds in emoluments, granted to them by the church they had left. It was a solemn moment. A time for faith. Ageing and frail men gave up all they had in the world, putting their trust in the God they sought to serve with greater honesty.

 

When Coll Kennedy left Wyatt at Fort William the two friends shook hands gravely. Their futures were uncertain, each man's place in the community dependent upon the respect in which he was held.

‘God go with you, Wyatt.'

‘And with you. Don't forget to keep in touch.'

With a jaunty wave of his hand, the tall preacher stepped ashore. Swinging the bag he carried to a shoulder, he set off northwards, his long-legged stride taking him towards Loch Lochy and the mountainous parish of Letterfinlay.

Donald McKay steered his small vessel away from the Fort William quay and headed for the narrow channel to Loch Ell. ‘You'll not be knowing what to expect in Eskaig, Minister?'

‘The spiritual well-being of every man, woman and child in the district is in the balance, Donald, yet I'm not even certain they know of the Disruption yet.'

‘Oh, they know, Minister. I brought the news from the General Assembly here myself. They've had a whole week to decide which path they'll be treading. They trust you. If
you
tell them what they should do, they'll follow.'

Donald McKay spun the wheel as the tricky current caught the under-powered little vessel and swept it towards the bank. When the boat was once more in the centre of the channel he said: ‘Trouble is, the factor knows about the Disruption, too, and he's likely to have thought up something for you.'

‘Perhaps he's not returned from Glasgow yet.'

‘He's been home nigh on a week.' Donald McKay spat over the side. ‘Travelled up in a ship with a colonel and a hundred or so soldiers –
Irish
soldiers. I just heard the news back at Fort William. The soldiers are in camp there.'

The news horrified Wyatt. Regular soldiers in the Highlands were bad news for everyone. The presence of
Irish
soldiers was alarming. There was little love lost between the two races. The only reason the Kilmalie factor could have for bringing them here would be to back up a major clearance.

John Garrett had played a crafty and patient game. He had anticipated a split in the Church and been equally confident Wyatt would side with the dissenters. Wyatt no longer had the support of the established church behind him, and the sympathies of the courts were with Garrett and all he stood for. It gave him a free hand to do as he wished on the Kilmalie estates, with no one to restrain him. Within a year there would be no need for a minister here – free church
or
established. John Garrett could clear every man, woman and child from the vast area that comprised the Eskaig parish.

Wyatt's long brooding silence was broken by the boatman. ‘I'd say something's already happened, Minister. You've never drawn a larger crowd than are waiting today.'

Wyatt looked up to see many people standing beside the ramshackle jetty, with more hurrying along the road from Eskaig. It seemed the entire village had turned out to meet him. In the van were the church elders – but Wyatt saw immediately that one was missing. Angus Cameron had not come to greet him on his return.

When Wyatt stood on land, the elders came forward, one by one, and gravely shook his hand in a gesture of support. Many others
expressed their approval of his actions as Wyatt moved through the crowd. He was greatly moved by their faith in him, especially when he learned what had happened in his absence.

Factor John Garrett had not wasted any time since his own return. Three days ago he had gone to the manse escorted by a platoon of Irish soldiers. Under his direction all Wyatt's personal property had been removed and dumped in an untidy heap in the churchyard. A number of elders had hurried to the scene to protest at what was being done, only to be told Wyatt was no longer a member of the Church of Scotland. Consequently, he had no right to live in the manse.

A number of women tried to gather up Wyatt's possessions, but Garrett warned them that anyone in the village who harboured either Wyatt or his property would be immediately evicted from their home and ordered from Kilmalie lands.

‘I have a little surprise for Factor Garrett – but where's my property now?' Wyatt asked the question surrounded by Eskaig villagers, all anxious to add snippets of information or express opinions as they made slow progress towards the village.

‘It's in the schoolhouse. Alasdair Burns took it in during that first night. The factor raged on at us when he learned it had gone, but no one told him where it was.'

‘I'm grateful to you. To all of you. We have serious matters to discuss now I'm back in Eskaig. The spiritual well-being of our people. The support for a free church was much greater than expected. We'll soon be able to appoint ministers to as many parishes as the established church. For a while we'll likely be the only church, here….'

The sudden silence that greeted his words was broken by one of the elders. ‘Garrett's already put up a new minister for the living. Angus Cameron and his wife moved into the manse yesterday evening.'

Wyatt was more hurt than surprised. It had always been a very badly kept secret that Angus Cameron nursed an ambition to occupy the Eskaig manse. The early rift between himself and Wyatt had been covered up rather than healed.

‘What of his induction?'

‘It's to be this Sunday. I think Garrett expected it to be an accomplished fact before you returned from Edinburgh.'

John Garrett had laid his plans well. With a new minister in the manse, and Kilmalie tenants threatened with dire consequences if they
gave shelter to their disestablished minister, the factor must have thought he had won the day. One of Wyatt's first duties would be to disillusion him.

The elders suggested it might be better if Wyatt stayed at the Eskaig inn for a while. It was the only building in the village that did not belong to the Kilmalie estate, and Annie Hamilton would not be intimidated by John Garrett's threats.

Wyatt had other ideas. Accompanied by the anxious villagers, he made his way to the school, which was virtually on the doorstep of the manse. Here he said a short prayer and led them in singing a hymn which could not fail to have been heard in the manse. Then Wyatt left his supporters with a promise that he would remain to offer them a Free Church service next Sunday – the day of Angus Cameron's induction. He also arranged to meet the elders in the school building later that evening.

In the house attached to the school there was no suggestion that Wyatt's stay would be temporary. Wyatt had his own bedroom, and his clothes had been neatly folded, or hung in a large cupboard that also served as a wall-divider.

Wyatt had wondered what Evangeline's reaction had been to her father's latest actions, but Alasdair Burns informed him she had travelled to London only days after Wyatt left for Edinburgh. The doctors looking after her mother felt she was almost ready to return home to Scotland but there was a need to discuss her future. In the absence of her father, Evangeline had gone to London to speak to them on his behalf.

While Wyatt was eating, Alasdair Burns asked: ‘Do you want to discuss our future plans just yet? We'll no doubt both be turned out when the factor realises you're staying here.'

‘We'll
neither
of us be turned out. I'll be seeing Garrett in the morning. I intend to ask him to allow me to use the kirk if the people decide they want a free church here in Eskaig.'

Alasdair Burns looked at Wyatt as though he had been stricken down by insanity. ‘Garrett will never allow you anywhere near the kirk. He's far more likely to have the military run you and me clear across the border into England.'

‘Garrett will have neither of us run out of Eskaig. I have documents here from the late Lord Kilmalie. They state that the school, this house
and the land on which they stand belong to
me
. The Army will help him as far as it dares to go, but no commanding officer is going to break the law for a Highland factor.'

It was almost dark outside already. Donald McKay's steam-boat had been late reaching Eskaig. As Alasdair Burns went round the house lighting candles, Wyatt said: ‘It's likely to be a long day tomorrow, and I must speak to the elders tonight. First, though, I want to visit the churchyard for a wee while….' Wyatt hesitated before asking: ‘Have you seen anything of Mairi while I've been away?'

Alasdair Burns shook his head. ‘No one's seen hide nor hair of a Ross for weeks, although there are rumours galore of men from as far away as Glen Shiel coming to visit Eneas. I fear there's something afoot at the Ross croft. Perhaps someone should warn Eneas of the Irish soldiers stationed at Fort William. They'd light a fire beneath a Highlander just to watch him dance.'

Alasdair Burns might have been exaggerating the Irish soldiery's dislike of the Highlander, but not by much. Soldiers of the two countries were never sent overseas in the same troop-transport and, if at all possible, were rarely garrisoned within fighting distance of each other. The Irish 27th Regiment had seen service in Africa when Wyatt was there, and it was a well-known fact that the Irishmen would as soon fight a Highlander as a Zulu.

‘I'll go on to have a word with Eneas tomorrow, after I've seen Garrett.'

‘I thought you might. Here, take this lamp with you to the churchyard. There's no moon tonight, and it'll be dark by the time you return.'

Wyatt did not take the lamp outside the schoolhouse. It was still light enough to see, and Wyatt would have no difficulty finding his way back. He had visited his father's grave almost every day since coming to Eskaig. He could have found his way blindfold.

As Wyatt skirted the small familiar kirk, he saw that candles had been lit inside. Acting upon impulse, he opened the kirk door quietly and slipped inside.

It was a few moments before he saw Angus Cameron. The new Eskaig minister kneeled in front of the altar, a still, shadowy figure, head bowed in prayer.

Wyatt had almost reached him before Angus Cameron became
aware of his presence. Wyatt's foot brushed against a misplaced pew, and the praying figure straightened up and turned.

When he recognised his visitor, Angus Cameron rose to his feet. ‘What are you doing here? You're no longer Eskaig's minister. Has no one told you…?'

‘I know all about it, Angus, but don't let me disturb you. Let's pray together … for our people. The people of Eskaig.'

‘We no longer belong to the same church. I'm the minister now. You'd better leave.'

‘We're both men of God, Angus, whichever church we belong to. Of far more importance is what's likely to happen to the people of Eskaig if Garrett has his way.'

‘If you don't leave, I'll have the factor report you to the authorities in Fort William for attempting to stir up trouble. There's no longer a place for you in Eskaig.'

‘There's more need than ever before. More need for
both
of us, can't you see? Garrett isn't working for the welfare of the people of Eskaig, and he certainly doesn't care about the Church. He's playing the age-old game of “divide and rule”. He wants to clear the Kilmalie estates. While there's been one church with a single voice to oppose him, he's needed to restrain his ambitions. If he can effectively divide
us
against each other, he can do what he likes. I came to ask if we might share the kirk….'

‘It wasn't Garrett who split the Church.
You're
the “free church” man.'

Wyatt realised he was getting nowhere. Angus Cameron had achieved his lifetime's ambition. He was resident in the manse. He would not give it up easily.

In a final bid to gain the support of the new minister, Wyatt said: ‘If we fight each other instead of fighting Garrett, we'll wake up one day to discover we have no parishioners left to fight
for
. Garrett will have cleared the mountains – and Eskaig, too.'

Angus Cameron appeared to ponder this, and for a moment Wyatt thought his words had finally made an impression on the new Eskaig preacher. Then the stubborn expression returned to the older man's face.

‘You'll not get yourself back in the manse or this kirk with clever words. You chose to leave our church, now you must pay the price.
Either you get out of my kirk now, or you'll be reported to the magistrates. Go away from Eskaig. You don't belong here. You never have and you've brought us nothing but trouble.'

As dusk closed in upon the peaceful churchyard, Wyatt thought of Angus Cameron's words.
Had
he brought trouble to the people of Eskaig? What would have happened had he not come here as their minister? Was he right to try to oppose Garrett's plans? Would it make any difference to the outcome?

On his knees beside his father's grave, Wyatt thought of the man who was buried beneath the almost indiscernible grassed mound. His father had wrecked his health in the battle to save the homes of his parishioners and the only way of life they had known. Yet the Islands had been cleared despite all his father had done. He had died a defeated and heartbroken old man. Had anything
he
did been worthwhile for either people or preacher?