Eye on Millig: Rhu Heresy case ministers shared same beliefs

The case, which rivetted the attention of the whole country made famous the Row parish minister, the Rev John McLeod Campbell, who was deposed from his living as a minister of the Church of Scotland by the General Assembly.

Local historian Alistair McIntyre, a director of Helensburgh Heritage Trust, has just completed a detailed study of the case, and I am grateful to him for what follows.

The Rev Robert Story, minister at St Modan’s Church, might have seemed an unlikely associate of Campbell. The assistant at Rosneath Church since 1815, and ordained minister there from 1818, he remained within the Church of Scotland at the Disruption of 1843.

A pillar of the Establishment, Robert was born in 1790 the son of George Story, parish schoolmaster at Yetholm, near Kelso, and Margaret Herbert, of a Northumbrian family.

His aim was to prepare himself for a life within the Church of Scotland. However, even at this formative stage, he found himself beginning to think instead of a calling to the Church of England.

The 18th century Church of Row. This second building built in 1763 is where the Rev John McLeod Campbell preached his allegedly heresy sermons. This is from a watercolour sketch in Rhu Vestry, copied by David Fairman

It was only through the persuasion of his parents that he set aside that idea.

Even after he was licensed as a preacher by the presbytery of Haddington in 1815, he nevertheless appears to have continued to harbour some doubts about where his religious path was leading him.

In 1815, Story was introduced to the parish of Rosneath by Thomas Chalmers, generally acknowledged as the most influential Scottish churchman of the nineteenth century.

The young preacher was being engaged as assistant to the minister there, the Rev Dr George Drummond, who through advancing years was becoming increasingly unable to carry out his ministerial and pastoral role.

Story settled in well, and in 1818, was ordained minister at the Rosneath church.

Chalmers himself had been keen to engage Story as his assistant, by now at St John’s Church, Glasgow, which suggests he saw a special talent in him.

READ MORE: Eye on Millig: Church row in Rhu rocked village and made parish minister famous

They certainly became firm friends, and both he and the unorthodox Edward Irving, then Chalmers’ assistant at the Tron Church, Glasgow, are said to have been frequent visitors to Story’s manse.

At some stage, Story met Alan Ker, an elder at the Greenock parish where Alexander Scott’s father was minister. Ker believed that Salvation lay not in what people were, but rather in what God is.

His message is thought to have struck a chord with Story, and it was in tune with what Campbell himself would come to preach.

With Campbell’s arrival at Row, it was inevitable that he would soon meet his counterpart across the loch, and the two men quickly formed a bond that would be a lifelong one.

J.P.Newall, author of a thesis on Scott, commented: “The constant communication between Scott, Campbell, Ker and Story meant that to speak of any of them coming to a position on atonement is inadequate.”

Late in 1826, Story was forced to take a break from his ministerial work through ill health. In the summer of 1827, he spent some time in England. He met Edward Irving, and together they attended a session of the so-called Prophetic Conference at Albury Park.

READ MORE: Eye on Millig: Shetland and Vigil actor's journey from Helensburgh farm to London's West End

The thrust of the Prophetic Conference was emphatically one of non-orthodoxy in religious matters.

When Story returned to Rosneath, it was observed that the tone of his preaching appeared to have changed markedly. Within church circles, it was already well known that some of Story’s religious views were perilously close to those of Campbell.

The perception arose that he was moving even closer to Campbell’s beliefs.

So it was as a concerned friend that Thomas Chalmers wrote to Story, entreating him not to stray too far from the standard tenets of the Church.

A churchman from the Western Isles also sent a letter, more pointed than that of Chalmers: “It was reported that you declared from the pulpit that you had been preaching false doctrines hitherto, and now you had recanted . . .”

From the beginning of the moves against Campbell in the courts of the Church, instigated from 1828 onwards, Story stoutly defended his friend at every turn, putting himself in real danger of facing similar heresy charges.

READ MORE: Eye on Millig: We talk to the Helensburgh actor starring in huge BBC One hit Shetland

After Campbell’s deposition from the Church in 1831, their friendship continued undiminished until Story’s death in 1859.

The first formal move against John McLeod Campbell’s ministry took place at the close of 1828, when a small group of parishioners drew up a petition and submitted it to Dumbarton Presbytery.

This was refreshed in March 1830, with a petition signed by twelve heads of families in the Parish, with the result that Presbytery advised this should be taken for-ward in the form of a libel.

This was formalised in March 1830, and was signed by George McLellan, farmer, Bolernick; Peter Turner, farmer, Bolernick; A.Lennox, surgeon, Helensburgh; Alexander McDougal, grocer, Row; John McKinlay, Greenfield, Row; John Thomson, spirit dealer, Helensburgh; Parlan McFarlan, farmer, Faslane; and Alexander McLeod, feuar, Helensburgh.

A counter petition was submitted to Presbytery, on behalf of some eighty householders and heads of family. This testified to their undiminished attachment to Campbell as their pastor.

However, Presbytery decided this should be allowed to lie on the table, in contrast to the hostile libel action, which was found to be proven. The matter was referred for consideration by the General Assembly.

To be continued.

* * * * * * * *

If you have a story from Helensburgh and Lomond's past or present you think might be suitable for a future Eye on Millig column, email the details to eyemillig@btinternet.com.