Chapter 11
BURGHEAD
& HOPEMAN
Snugly situated at
the top of the Moray Firth are the fishing villages of Burghead and Hopeman.
Boats belonging to
these ports proudly display the Inverness registration. This is also
the registration of boats from Avoch and the Black
Isle. Many from these three villages
were greatly blest by the revival. Their
hearts burned with the fire of God as they sailed home along the Moray Firth.
There were
impressive scenes at Hopeman and Burghead
as the men returned from Yarmouth, and likewise among the women as
they made their journey home by train and bus.
Eyewitnesses at the harbour state that what they saw and heard was
fantastic. As the boats waited for the
tide to allow them to enter the port, songs of a new experience that had taken
place in many hearts wafted across the water.
The tide of God's blessing was about to flow into and through these
villages. Sceptics were able to see with
their own eyes drunkards who had been saved, and self righteous souls who had
relied on their works had taken their stand as guilty sinners. Now all rejoiced in the
knowledge of salvation by grace alone.
Broken homes had been mended and that all through the work of Christ on
the Cross at Calvary. Truly this song could be
sung in these villages:-
"The broken strands of life can all be mended,
By the dear hand of Christ
my Lord."
A service was held
in a hall at Hopeman on the first Sunday of December,
1921, when a large crowd attended. There
about twenty men and women came forward in answer to the appeal. On the Monday five or six responded to the
altar call. God was working.
An open-air
meeting held one Tuesday in December drew a large audience. After this a march of witness moved along Harbour Street
when well known hymns were sung. As new
converts walked alongside stalwarts, a deep impression was made on many hearts
as the question, "Are you washed in the blood of
the Lamb?" rang through the town. "Yes I'm washed in the blood of the
Lamb," echoed through the air, and Hopeman witnessed
the power of the risen Christ in the hearts of men.
In an interview a
fisherman convert revealed this amazing story.
"I attended a
meeting in Yarmouth which lasted four hours. The
Rev. Douglas Brown preached that night and the presence of God was
overpowering. I saw men and women openly
weeping over their sins. There were
about two hundred converts that night.
It was the best four hours I ever spent, but best of all, I went back
the next night and was saved."
Burghead was not moved to the same
depth that Hopeman was. Nevertheless, the revival was hailed with
great enthusiasm. A middle aged convert
was asked what he thought of the revival.
"I believe
God is working. The meetings are
creating a great impression. People are
locking their doors and leaving the mending lofts. They are making for the meetings to hear the
young fishermen speak. Some people are
sceptical, but just look at the drunkards who have been converted. It is evident that they have met the Master,
and the joy expressed on their faces show it is a work of the Lord."
An estimate given
at the time of the revival stated that there were well over one hundred
converts who were genuinely saved.
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