ALEXANDER HENDERSON AND LEUCHARS. BY D. HAY FLEMING, ST. Andrews. TOWARDS the end of last February, a tablet of Peterhead granite, set in Binny free-stone, was built into the outside of the south wall of Leuchars Parish Church, in memory of Alexander Henderson. As the illustration shows, this monument (5 feet 4 inches by 3 feet 9 inches), which was designed by Mr. Henry, is both elegant and effective. a The Misses Webster, St. Andrews, have been the originators and life of the whole movement, having raised the necessary funds (over forty guineas) for the erection of this memorial to him on whom they look as the Nehemiah of the Scottish Church. Very little is known about him during the long period he was in Leuchars. But according to Dr. M'Crie," the time which Mr. Henderson spent in his retirement, though obscure on the page of history, was not the least useful period of his life." b Steven son he says he was eighteen years in Leuchars. John Howie says that was, "about the year 1620, preferred to be minister of Leuchars." While Dr. M'Crie shows that it must have been in or before 1615, © But the Records of the Diocesan Synod, "benorth the Forth," prove that he was settled at Leuchars early in 1612.d Now it was on the 18th December, 1638, that the Glasgow Assembly resolved to transport him to Edinburgh, and as his induction to the Greyfriars took place on the 10th January, 1639, he must have been nearly 27 years a The readers of the O. S. M. are indebted for the accompanying lithograph of the Henderson Memorial, to the Misses Webster, through whose great kindit appears, the entire cost being defrayed by them. ness b M'Crie's Miscellaneous Writings, p. 9. c Ibid. p. 3. 364, and 621. Also Dr. The parish of Leuchars, d Aiton's Life and Times of Henderson, p. p. 90, Wylie's ed. of the Scots Worthies, foot note, p. 216. "from north-east to south-west, extends 9 miles; its greatest breadth from north-west to south-east is 5 miles.* There has been very little variation **** in the number of inhabitants [barely 2000] in this parish from the earliest times till now." New Stat. Acc. vol. 9. p.p. 218-223. A great part of the low and level grounds to the north-east and south-west of the village were formerly under water the most of the year, until last century, when a large drain of 3 miles long was cut. "Before the above drain (of 20 feet wide, and 14 deep, for a considerable way above the outlet) was cut, the families who lived near the stagnant water were subject in the spring and end of autumn to intermitting fevers of very long continuance; from 23 to 33, and sometimes to 39 days. Whole families were to be seen in such distress at the same time, that no ne could assist the others." Old Stat. Acc. vol. 18. p. 586. This was probably the cause of James Reid's vehement fever; and in his recorded prayers, Hender son seems thrice to refer to this distress, in April 1638. in Leuchars. When St. Andrews and Edinburgh were contending for him, he said::- 'I have bein thir 24 yeares minister at Lewchars; and now I am growing ane old, withered, and dry tree, and it is pittie to transport such a ane, least it bring foorth no fruite." Perhaps he thought that the two or three years before his conversion should not be counted in his ministry. His next sentence showed his desire to remain. "And I doe declair ex animo to this Assembly, that although I have ane earnest desyre, if I had any thing in me to imploy it for the good of the Kirk of Scotland, yet I think I am able to doe more good heir where I am nor any where els.”a His friends were formerly of the same opinion, for when "the truellie noble and most Christian Lady the Countess of Mar" desired to have him presented to another church in 1631, they thought that "it was nearest the will of God and most for the weal of the kirk" that he should not remove from Leuchars.b His remarkable conversion has been often told as a memorial both of himself and the famous Robert Bruce of Kinnaird. There is every reason to believe that it happened between August 1613, when Bruce returned to the south from Inverness, and "July 1616, when the first batch of Doctors of Divinity were inaugurated by the University of St. Andrews." The different authors agree in their accounts, about the preacher, the text, the dark corner of the church, the occasion, and the locality,-a communion in the neighbourhood,-none of them however have definitely stated the church, though Aiton, hazarding a guess, says, "probably Cupar." But Councillor Cunningham, of St. Andrews,—an undoubted relative of the Hendersons of Kilbrachmont, who took such an active part in the death of the arch-apostate Sharp, and who, the late Mr. Lawson, minister of Creich, maintained on pretty good grounds, were related to Alexander Henderson,—confidently affirms that it was in the old parish church of Forgan, and that he has sat in the very seat, a square one with a table in the centre, in the north corner under the west loft. This seat belonged to Upper Friarton, of which Mr. Cunningham's uncle was tenant for about 36 years, who got liberty to make a window behind it at his own expense, as it was so dark that he could not see to read his Bible. This window (about 4 feet by 2 feet) points out the interesting corner in the ivy-clad ruin, where the sharp arrows of the King pierced Henderson's heart. As the lofts-judging from the present level of the ground and the places in the walls where the joists had rested— bee his two letters to her, in the Fourth Report of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts. 1874. were very low, and as there had been no window originally under that loft, this particular corner must have been very dark. Miss Webster possesses an autograph letter, which may be taken as a specimen of the style in which he wrote certificates. It is as follows: "GRACE AND PEACE. These ar to testifie that Mr. James Reid of Pitlethie, continueth still sick of his vehement feuers without any relenting theireof, sua that he cannot conueninentlic trauell to Edinburgh till it shall please God to give unto him some better health. Subscryved in name of our Sessioun. At Leuchars, August 20. 1626. Alexr. Henrysone, minister at Leuchers." It is addressed on the back :-" To the Richt Honerable the Prouest Baillies and Counsell of Edinburgh." One of the many characteristics which Knox and Henderson, the respective leaders of the first and second Reformations, had in common, was a strong practical interest in education. "Henderson, and the other leading Covenanters, were great promoters of literature. Let it never be forgotten that it is to these men that Scotland is indebted for the contriving, arranging, and finally establishing our system of parochial schools.a" But as it would require a special article to do justice to his labours in improving and extending education, and as it is foreign to our subject, our remarks must be confined to what he did for Leuchars. It is not generally known. that in "the yerr of God sixteen Hundred and threttie yeris," "Mr. Alexr. Henrysone minister of Chrystis evangell at Leucharis bought "that mansione toft and croft thereto annexit * * * * lyand within the towne of Leucharis, with the lands callit Pittinbroge with the pertinentis lyand within the boronye of Leucharis." These subjects, as well as £1000 Scots, were afterwards given by him as an educational endowment to the parish. This was a great sum in those days, when a leg of lamb could be bought for a groat. Until about the end of last century the salary of the schoolmaster was almost entirely provided by this bounty. To some this may be surprising, but according to the law of Scotland from 1646 to 1803, the yearly stipends or salaries of schoolmasters were to be, not under 100 merks, (i.e. £5 11s. 11⁄2d. Stg.) nor above 200 merks Scots. Dr. Aiton, in his Life and Times of Henderson, after mentioning the fact that he had bequeathed the sum of 2000 merks Scots for behoof of the school a Aiton's Life and Times of Henderson, p. 437. |