Chapter 9

GAMRIE

 

The rugged coast of Banffshire has stood many as storm.  Exposed to winds of nearly 180° of the compass, the cliffs on the east of the county stand vertical to the sea. Villages such as Gardenston and Pennan look as thought they have been hewn out of the cliff face. 

 

Pennan and Gardenston, the latter locally known as Gamrie, have been the homes of many well-known fishermen.  They were experts in driftnet fishing, especially in the lochs of Scotland.  Traditionally the men from these two villages based their boats at Lowestoft during the East Anglian season.

 

Looking along the shore at Gamrie.

  (Picture: G. NIcolson, Peterhead.)












As the folks left their comfortable homes in the two villages, little did they realise that many of them would return two months later as "new creatures in Christ", putting their trust in the Blest Rock of Ages.  Lowestoft was to know showers of blessing in a rich harvest of souls amongst the Pennan and Gamrie people.

 

London Road Baptist Church was the main venue for the revival meetings.  Rev. A. Douglas Brown was the leader, but one of the prominent features in this move of the Lord was the deep conviction of sin.  The story is told of a Gamrie fisherman who left a meeting deeply moved.  As he made his way past the railway station, across Waverly Bridge to his boat, he could hold out no longer against the Spirit of God.  He put his head in his hands, leaned against the bridge, looked into the waters of the Waverly Dock and committed his life into the hands of Jesus.  Instantly he knew forgiveness and the Spirit of God witnessed with his spirit that he was a child of God.

 

One night as Douglas Brown preached on the left water pot, from John chapter 4, the Holy Spirit moved through the building, many fell prostrate before under mighty conviction.  A number of Pennan and Gamrie men were saved that night.  In my possession is that sermon which was preached.  I treasure it very much.

 

Another characteristic of the Lowestoft revival was the number who were also baptized by immersion.  This took place at the sea front before large crowds.  These young converts were not ashamed to own their Lord.

 

After the herring season ended, the inhabitants of Gamrie and Pennan eagerly awaited the return of their loved ones.  No one could argue against the changed lives of hardened drunkards who had been transformed by sovereign grace.

 

Wise old men who had known the power of Christ in their lives for many years gathered the young converts together for fellowship in a building called "Castle Grant".  This three-storied building was owned by a man called Francis Wiseman, or "Fish Francie" as he was named.  It had been used mainly as a net store.  Precious times of blessing were experienced in the middle story.  Crowds would sit on herring "nets drinking in the words of life.  Young converts were taught the Word of God, while hardened sinners found salvation to be the answer to their long search for peace."  "Fish France", in giving his testimony would say, "I used to be like the boaties in the harbour tied fore and aft, but now I am loosed in Jesus.   It all happened when I was converted."

 

A leading part in these meetings was taken by a man called "Soldie" Watt of the steam drifter Gowan Bank.   Another of the stalwarts was Willie "Shippie" West.   His grandson, Alex Jack, tells in a gospel leaflet the story of "Shippie" crossing to Shetland one stormy night when the steamer struck a rock.  As a fisherman he knew the danger they were in, so he made his way along the passenger deck towards the lifeboats and there he saw a lady sitting there quite composed.  Going across to her he said, "What a night to be on a rock." Quickly she replied, "It is grand to be on The Rock on a night like this." "Shippie" knew exactly what she meant as he had experienced the truth of Isaiah chapter 32, verse 2.  "A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and as a covert from the tempest."  Earlier in life he realised that in the gathering storms of time there was only one safe refuge - Jesus Christ.

 

There were also some light moments in Castle Grant.  One night as the meeting progressed, a bag of potatoes burst and scattered all over the floor.  As the crowd picked them up, someone started to sing, "What a gathering".

 

Today, after almost 60 years, the effects of the revival are still visible in the Church of Scotland, which is outstanding in its evangelical testimony, and a thriving Brethren Assembly.

 

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