William Chalmers Burns (1815-1868) was
born in Scotland and died in China. He is indelibly associated with the
work of God in both of those countries. His was a life characterised by
deep devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. His last words were these:
‘Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and
ever’. What follows is an entry from his journal dated August 21,
1840, written from Breadalbane (Scotland).
In the Lord’s
wonderful providence, the
minister of this dead parish consented to my preaching there this day
at twelve noon, and accordingly we went; this morning I felt such an
entire vacancy of mind and heart, that it seemed impossible that I
could preach. However, in secret prayer before leaving the manse I had
hopes of a good day. The people were met at the tent, but the wind
being high we adjourned to the church …
The subject was conversion; text Matthew 18:3, and in discoursing upon
this I experienced more assistance in attempting to speak home to the
very marrow of men’s souls than at almost any other time …
Two wicked men could not stand it, as we supposed, and retired from
their seats. Many others, and among these the stoutest men, were in
tears. At the conclusion, when I had pronounced the blessing I sat down
in the pulpit in secret prayer as usual, but to my amazement I heard
nobody moving; and waiting a full minute I rose and saw them all
standing or sitting, with their eyes in many cases filled with tears,
and all fixed on the pulpit … I asked them what they were
waiting for, and whether they were waiting for Christ, and then spoke a
little from a Psalm which we sung, and then parted at four p.m.
The people retired slowly and most of them in tears. We dined at the
manse, when all were very serious, and came away immediately in order
to hold a meeting in the parish at six o’clock. As we came along
the road we overtook some men and women in deep distress, as their
tears and sober countenances indicated, and their iron grasp when we
shook hands with them. Many also came to their doors and recognized us
with evident concern. At six we had a meeting for an hour and a half in
a house at the east end of this parish, when about a hundred were
present. Praise to the Lamb!
In the evening I walked up the side of Ben Lawers, until I could
command a view from the head of Glen Dochart to Dunkeld, having Loch
Tay in the centre from Kenmore to Killin. It was a beautiful evening,
and the scene was magnificent. However, all my thoughts of external
scenery were well-nigh absorbed in the thought of the wonderful works
of Jehovah which I had witnessed during the week that was closing among
the poor inhabitants of this splendid theatre of the Lord’s
creation. I could have supposed that I had been in Breadalbane for a
month instead of a week; the events that had passed before me were so
remarkable and so rapid in succession. It has been indeed a
resurrection of the dead, sudden and momentous as the resurrection of
the last day, nay, far more momentous than it to the individuals
concerned. After coming home, I was alone, and felt much my need of a
broken and grateful heart.
