Though Christianity had entered Scotland in the sixth century, Romanism did not dominate it till the twelfth, when it was introduced, together with all its paraphernalia, by the reigning monarch who imported large numbers of foreign ecclesiastics to fill its numerous offices. Battening on that comparatively poor land, it soon owned half its wealth, and the ecclesiastical dignitaries were the virtual rulers of the land.
But even in those dark days there were those who held a purer faith. A disciple of Wycliffe was burned at Perth about the year 1406. The Lollards were sufficiently numerous in Scotland in the fifteenth century to cause the appointment of an inquisitor. In 1431 another martyr perished at the stake, a Bohemian and a follower of Huss named Crawar. In 1494 thirty Lollards were summoned for heresy at Glasgow. These were persons of rank, and it does not appear they were punished. The circumstance shows, however, that the teachings of Wycliffe continued to find adherents right up to Reformation times.
Luther’s writings reached Scotland, as they did so many other lands, while Tyndale’s New Testament was also circulated. Thus the printed word — and particularly the Word of God — was the first missionary of the revived gospel in Scotland.
A young man, Patrick Hamilton, of the illustrious family of that name was the first to unfurl the gospel banner in the sixteenth century. Born in 1504, educated at St. Andrews University and at Paris, he found his way to Marburg where he came in touch with Francis Lambert, the ex-monk of Avignon, who was now playing an important part in the Reformation in Germany. On his return to Scotland in 1527, he spread the truth, first among his kinsfolk and friends, and then more and more publicly at the Church of St. Michael at Linlithgow, which was then the seat of the court. His preaching thus reached high and low. Cardinal Beaton sent for him, ostensibly to discuss the subject of the reform of the Church. He received him graciously, but it was to lure him to death. In due course he was arraigned before an ecclesiastical court. Among the heresies of which he was accused was, “That a man is not justified by works but by faith alone.” Efforts to rescue him from the power of the cardinal failed; his condemnation and execution were hastened. In February 1528, he was taken to the stake. As he ascended the pile, he said, “In the name of Jesus, I give up my body to the fire and commit my soul into the hands of the Father.” The wood was not dry, and the noble martyr’s sufferings were prolonged for six hours. At the end, when half his body was already destroyed by the flames, he cried, “How long, O Lord, shall darkness overwhelm this realm? How long wilt Thou suffer this tyranny of men? Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
His career as a preacher was short indeed, but his words and his sufferings, his noble example and faithfulness unto death kindled a flame that was never quenched. Henry Forrest, a monk of Linlithgow, who had received the light from Patrick Hamilton, died by the fire in 1532. David Straiton, a gentleman who had quarreled with the Prior of St. Andrews over the tithes, was strangely enough led by this very event to discover the truth. The Prior had accused him of heresy. He did not even know what the word “heresy” meant, and, unable to read, he asked a nephew to read the New Testament to him. His eyes were opened; his soul was saved. His change of life brought him under suspicion. He was accused of heresy and condemned to be burned alive. His companion at the stake was a converted priest, Norman Gourlay. They were burned on the high ground between Edinburgh and Leith. Their trial took place in the presence of the King. In 1538 five more persons were burned on Castle Hill, Edinburgh. Persecution waxed hotter and many fled the country, but many others, mostly persons of the poorer class who could not escape, had to face death by hanging or burning. In 1543 Cardinal Beaton toured his diocese, leaving a trail of death by fire or gibbet. Many nobles of the realm were now favorable to the cause and Beaton compiled a list of a hundred whom he planned for destruction. When the King died, after the battle of Solway, this list was found upon him.
The hand of Providence may be traced in the sequel, for the man whose name headed the list of names became regent of the realm. An Act was passed on March 15, 1543, which allowed the Bible to be read by all in their mother tongue. Thenceforward the Bible was to be found in many a gentleman’s home, and the New Testament was widely read. According to Knox, the knowledge of God thereby increased wondrously, and “God gave His Holy Spirit to simple men in great abundance.” The regent’s zeal, however, soon abated, and before long Beaton was again in the ascendant.
Another light now arose in the person of George Wishart. He was a Greek scholar and taught that language in the Academy of Montrose. Coming under suspicion of heresy, he retired to England and then to Switzerland, where he came in contact with Bullinger. In July 1543, he returned to Scotland. He began to preach at Montrose, and then he visited Dundee, where he began a series of preachings on that great foundational epistle, the Epistle to the Romans. The governor and cardinal arrived with artillery to besiege the town. The citizens, together with Wishart, retired, leaving the town open to them. Although the preachings were later resumed, it was not long before Wishart had to leave. He preached elsewhere, in the open air, to larger companies than any church could hold. When the Plague attacked Dundee, he returned thither and preached to the sick as well as the whole. There a priest hired by the cardinal attempted to murder him, and when the crowd would have lynched his would-be assassin, Wishart intervened to save his life. After further labors in Edinburgh and Midlothian, he was arrested and imprisoned at St. Andrews. On February 28, 1546, he was put on trial and at noon on the following day taken to the stake, a rope around his neck and an iron chain around his waist. Bags of powder, placed around him at the stake, were exploded, scorching him badly, the rope was drawn tightly around his neck to strangle him, and his body was then devoured by the flames. He had told his friends before he was led out to his execution, “The grim fire I fear not. I know surely that my soul shall sup with my Saviour this night.” Wishart was only thirty-four years of age when his life was thus cut short by a martyr’s death.
On May 29 the Castle of St. Andrews was surprised and attacked by men of another spirit than Wishart’s, and Cardinal Beaton was killed. This violence was of no avail, another persecutor filled his place, and the persecution continued. Those who had seized the Castle retained it, and it became, for a time, a place of refuge for persecuted persons, among whom was John Knox, who was to play so conspicuous a part in the Reformation in Scotland. The Castle, however, did not protect him for long; in June 1547, it fell to a combined attack by French warships from the sea and the forces of the regent from the land. All its occupants, including Knox, were taken prisoners and put on board the French galleys. Thus ended an episode which aimed at furthering the Reformation by the sword. Eight years spent partly in captivity and partly in exile passed over Knox. God used those years to teach and form the vessel He later employed to the pulling down of the enemy’s strongholds. Among other things Knox was clear upon was the fact that no reformation of the papal system was right or possible. Christians must begin again on the foundation of Scripture. Knox visited Scotland again for a short time in 1555 and encouraged the growing army of believers, who now numbered among their ranks many of the nobility, but feeling that his presence would only bring persecution upon his friends, he retired to Geneva.
Meanwhile, believers multiplied, and they met together as and when circumstances permitted, to encourage and edify each other. They were of all classes, and at this stage there was no official ministry save that they appointed elders to watch over the morals of the company. The beginning of these small congregations supervised only by elders was in Edinburgh. In Dundee, the first minister was appointed and this city was then called the Geneva of Scotland.
About this time a number of nobles styled “the lords of the congregation” formed a covenant promising before God to defend and promote the establishment of the gospel in Scotland. Each within his own jurisdiction promoted the preaching of the gospel and the reading of the Scriptures, both in the parish churches and in their own castles and the homes of the people.
The hierarchy, greatly disturbed by these measures, once again adopted violent means. Walter Mill, a parish priest of Lunan, near Montrose, was seized and tried at St. Andrews. Feeble with the weight of his eighty-two years, he was hardly expected to be able to reply to the charges made against him, but he found strength in weakness and, looking straight at his accusers, he exclaimed after long questioning, “Ye shall know that I will not recant the truth, for I am corn and not chaff. I will not be blown away with the wind nor burst with the flail. I will abide both.” His age procured him no pity; he was condemned to the flames. As he stood bound to the stake, he said, “As for me, I am fourscore and two years old and cannot live long by course of nature, but a hundred better shall arise out of the ashes of my bones. I trust in God that I shall be the last that shall suffer in Scotland for this cause.” It was August 28, 1558, when he suffered. But the work of God continued; little companies of believers were now to be found in most of the towns of Scotland, the truths of Scripture were being taught, and the Lord’s supper was celebrated in simplicity. There were at this period but four preachers in the country, and the queen regent had given orders for their arrest. At this juncture Knox reappeared. He preached a sermon at Perth against idolatry and image worship. Though far from his wish, a lawless crowd began to attack the images and monasteries. Knox deplored these lawless acts, which gave the queen regent the very pretext she needed. Gathering an army, she attacked the city. She found it, however, too well prepared to proceed and opened negotiations which ended in a temporary compromise. The Protestant nobles decided to take bolder measures and set up the reformed worship wherever their authority extended and the majority of the inhabitants were favorable. Knox preached a powerful sermon at St. Andrews. The magistrates and townspeople resolved to set up the reformed worship in their city. Images and pictures were removed from the church. Their example was followed in many other places. Many monasteries were pulled down at this time. Further armed intervention on the part of the queen followed these events. Knox, however, continued his preaching with indefatigable energy. A foreign plot was being hatched to bring troops into Scotland for an attack on England. Of this Knox informed the advisers of Queen Elizabeth, who aided the Scots to drive out the French troops. Death removed the queen regent, and the government passed into the hands of those favorable to the Reformation. Here again we see the hand of Providence, for had the plot succeeded, the entire course of European history might have changed in favor of the Roman Catholic powers. In 1560 the Estates of the Realm met, and the Reformation was established in Scotland. A short summary of Christian doctrine was drawn up by Knox, read in Parliament, and duly adopted. This is known as the First Scots Confession. The Pope’s jurisdiction was abolished a few days later.
The arrival of Mary Stuart, Knox’s interviews with her and his trial and acquittal are matters which we must leave to ampler histories. Popery was overthrown in Scotland, never again to raise its head, although, as we shall see later, believers were yet to suffer persecution from the so-called reformed Church itself.