In John Hickson’s book, Notes of Travel, the name Needham turns up a number of times in the chapter on North America. He refers to them as “friends” or “relatives.” John Hickson was an Irish immigrant to Australia. How did he come to have friends … Continue reading Four Irish-American evangelists
Category: Beliefs
The most peaceable and virtuous peasantry in Britain
It is worthy of remark that it was at the climax of its spiritual prosperity the cruel work of eviction began to lay waste the hill-sides and the plains of the north. Swayed by the example of the godly among them, and away from the … Continue reading The most peaceable and virtuous peasantry in Britain
Spiritual heritage
The Ferintosh burn was one of our favourite places of play. To stand where Dr Macdonald stood, to speak from his platform - this was something performed with a superstitious fear and awe. How often we heard people speak of what the great Dr Macdonald … Continue reading Spiritual heritage
James Ross’s sixteenth birthday
James Ross was born in Gledfield, Ross-Shire, in the winter of 1827, the fourth child of the village blacksmith and his wife. James' birthday was the 31st of January, but there were a lot of children (12 in all) in the Ross family and it … Continue reading James Ross’s sixteenth birthday
Communion season in nineteenth century Ross-Shire
It seems likely that James Ross carried the name Ferintosh to Australia with him because of a profound spiritual experience that he had at Ferintosh Burn in the 1840s when the Reverend Dr John McDonald was the minister at Urquhart, the parish which contained the … Continue reading Communion season in nineteenth century Ross-Shire
Forgotten tales 