Sunday, August 19, 2012

Abstinence Tour of Robert Marshall (1819-1891) – Journal Entry of 23rd and 24th September 1839

I’ve been a little lax again in posting the journal entries, so once again I am doubling up.  Enjoy.

September 23, l839

Employed the greater part of the day in study and writing to friends.  In the evening I lectured in the Old Relief Chapel to about 300 of an attentive audience.  The cause here is prospering very much.  There are about 720 members.  They manifest a great desire to become acquainted with the subject.  I was very kindly used while in Kirriemuir.

September 24, l839

Left Kirriemuir for Forfar per Omnibus, about a quarter to ll a.m. reached Forfar about 12, remained till half past 3 p.m. when I took the Railway Coach for Auldbar where I landed about 4.   It rained hard and then not being a coach for Brechin till 6, I stretched me on a form in the Office and took a nap.  When I awoke, I was very cold, and it still continued to rain very heavily.  It was not a covered coach, but I had the benefit of an umbrella.  It was about half eight when I reached Brechin, but had no difficulty in finding out the Pres. of the Society.  The meeting had been advertised.  I accordingly went to the church, and lectured about 2 hours, to a pretty good audience (considering the unfavourable weather).  The Soct (Society) is very prosperous.  There are about 700 members, but there is much work also here, there being no less than 7 public houses and 2 distilleries.

The women here are extremely busy.  Some of them come before the Public at the weekly convivial meetings, and deliver addresses.

I was most kindly received here.

Typed by Betty Kay 11th May 1996, from Dan Marshall`s notes of the original journal.

©2012, copyright Alana Farrell

2 comments:

  1. Robert Marshall was touring with his Temperance ministry about the same time that my 3rd great grand uncle Jabez Burns, Baptist minister, was preaching Temperance in and around Dundee. Also, my 3x great grand father was an ardent Chartists and spoke in Dundee. I wonder if ever the Burns Temperance and Chartist folk ever met up with Robert Marshall. Small world.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Joan, although Robert Marshall was Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), he was in Dundee at the beginning of his tour, in Sept. 1839. Maybe Robert and Jabez Burns met up and attended each others meetings! Wouldn't that be neat.

    ReplyDelete