The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-03-29
Presbyterianism Tested by it's
Fruits.
A Look at the Scottish Highlanders

Two leading Scotchmen have been re-
Gently expatiating upon the Highlanders,
the Duke of Argyll and Sheriff Nicolson,
the former presiding at the annual din
ner of the western Isles Association I"
in Edinburgh, the latter lecturing to the
Edinburgh Philosophical Institution " On
the Scottish Highlanders their History
and Characteristics. The Duke could
not find words enough-and he seldom
lacks the gift of eloquent speech-where-
with to celebrate the virtues of the High
landers-their kindness, their hospitali-
ty, courtesy, their industry, their loyalty,
their self-denial their perseverance, their
piety. and their aptitude for learning.
His Grace during his heightened address
gave several striking illustrations in sup
port of his positions. One with regard
to the educational equipments and attain
ments of Islay is worth reproducing. 1t
seems that there is an Argyleshire bur
sary of the value of 9l20. On the last
occasion when the bursary was competed
for, four students presented themselves.
One of the four had been for several
years at the High School, Edinburgh.
The other three had all of them been
simply educated at their parish schools in
Argyleshire. The maximum number OF
marks was 500. The High School boy
got the bursary, scoring 43O marks, but
was only Is marks above an Islay boy
and the examiner told the Duke that he
was not quite sure in his own. mind
whether-the different points of excel
Iency being balanced one. against the
other-the eighteen marks ought not to
have been the other way, and, said the
Duke, There you have an example of a
crofter' son, who had never been out of
the Island Of Islay, and had never been
out OF the parish school of Bowmore,
competing, you may say, on equal terms
with the young man who had been four
years at the Hugh School OF Edinburgh. -
So much for the education given by the
parish schools in the Highlands, and re.
ceived and utilised by the PRESBYTERIAN
children. Our readers don t need to be
told that the HighIanders are almost to
man Presbyterians, and Plesbyterians
to preponderating extent Of the Free
Church of Scotland
In his most eloquent lecture, Sheriff
Nicolson dealt largely with the trials and
suferings ofthe Highlanders, and brought
forcibly out in another way the nobility
and worth Of the Highland character.
Referring to the land laws Of Scotland.
which, he said, needed amendment as
much as the land laws Of Ireland. he
said, "The earth hunger which the
Premier spoke of as an Irish passion to
which some concession was due, took a
different and mider form in the High
lands, but it was equally real. with
them the earth hunger was not an
appetite for the land, a craving to possess
1T and dispossess the laird. 1t was merely
an unspeakable love of the soil, were It
the widest moor or the richest islet, and
a passionate desire to be allowed to live
there-no more That vas ali the High
lander asked, and if his gentle petition
was refused or if living on the land
was made difficult for him, he never
thought Of shooting the laird or iDiur-
ing his cattle. II he must 90 he went
sorrowfully enough, but w5ihou eithc,.
curses IN his mouth or yenqca1ce In his
heart IN the Wholc criminal annals OF
ScotLan6 there lcoS not, so far as he kneig.
one instance Of agrayian murder IN the
HIghlands And there had been evic-
tlODg there sometimes on O ,,root e...1-