Steve’s first book, ‘The Skye Revivals’, was published by New Wine Press exactly twenty years ago. Skye Ablaze is a vastly enlarged and updated version of that out-of-print study, containing over twice the volume of information, and fully annotated.

It’s a remarkable work. Many associate spiritual revivals in the Western Isles with the famed Lewis revival of 1949-52 under the ministry of Duncan Campbell. But the inner Hebridean isle of Skye has a spiritual heritage every bit as fascinating as that of its neighbour, and Steve records it with an eye for detail and a longing to inspire in his readers a hunger for a spiritual outpouring in our day.

Macleod & Macdonald

The author outlines the connection to Perthshire in Skye’s evangelical beginnings, before telling the stirring story of revival inaugurated under the ministry of blind evangelist Donald Munro. He goes on to tell of the outbreak of revival in the northerly Skye districts of Unish and Waternish in May 1842. This quickly spread to adjoining districts, and within a short time, spiritual awakening had “traversed the whole extent of the island, from north to south, yea, and beyond” (p.59).

Steve records it with an eye for detail and a longing to inspire in his readers a hunger for a spiritual outpouring in our day.

In particular, Steve reveals how this momentous movement was propelled by the preaching of the Rev Roderick Macleod, a native of the island. Crowds of between 5,000 and 9,000 would gather week by week for several months at Fairy Bridge, where Macleod would preach from his horse, circling the vast crowd as he did so. An eyewitness records seeing:

“The young and the old, male and female, pouring forth from all sides of the land, from hills, and valleys, villages, hamlets and the lonely hut. The surrounding waters, too, were covered with about fifty skiffs, like the multitudes which dotted the sea of Tiberias, in pursuit of the Lord himself when he was manifested in the flesh. Like the goings up of the Jewish tribes to the great feast in Jerusalem was the going up of these anxious islanders to the gospel meeting at Fairy Bridge”.

The ’Wild man of Ferintosh’ – known also as ‘The Apostle of the North’ – the Rev John Macdonald, was another forceful preacher through whom many were drawn to their knees in heartfelt repentance during this momentous era. Steve in fact felt compelled to extend his scope of survey beyond Skye, pursuing the course of this dramatic revival to the small inner isles of Eigg, Rhum and Muck, as well as to the remote outpost of St Kilda – ‘the island at the edge of the world’.

Heavenly perfume

In between all these accounts of dramatic spiritual revival, Steve provides a number of connecting ‘interludes’, where he shares, for example, the intriguing story of Isaac Lillingston of Balmacara, a ‘bosom friend’ of Roderick Macleod, and the nephew of William Wilberforce. Also told is an account of ‘Sacramental travellers’ – the considerable numbers who were so keen for spiritual nourishment that they travelled great distances by boat and on foot to and from Skye to attend communion services.

the most unusual phenomenon was “the most beautiful aroma” which would fill people’s homes as they met together for worship and prayer ...

Nor is ‘Skye Albaze’ stuck in the distant past. Included is a delightful chapter entitled ‘The Fragrance’, which recounts the events of a localised spiritual awakening in Kyleakin and Broadford districts of the island as recently as 1980, which was marked by deep conviction of sin, along with attending tears and prostrations. But the most unusual phenomenon was “the most beautiful aroma” which would fill people’s homes as they met together for worship and prayer; a “rich, heavenly perfume” enjoyed by everyone present, and which lingered on people’s clothes and Bibles as they drove home, and for days afterwards.

To the ends of the earth

The latter chunk of the book documents ‘The Scattering’, as thousands of Skye-dwellers were forced to emigrate to Canada and the United States in the 1830s and 40s, in search of employment. Hundreds brought their new-found faith with them, and as they settled on distant shores, they couldn’t help but share that love of Christ with all they met.

this unique study is a must for those whose hearts are stirred by accounts of historical revival

The result, on Prince Edward Island and various parts of Nova Scotia, was spiritual awakening of a similar degree to that which had engulfed much of their native Skye. Steve has gone to great lengths to provide a comprehensive narrative of the moving of God in the Maritime Provinces.

Thoroughly documented and well-referenced, this unique study is a must for those whose hearts are stirred by accounts of historical revival, and for anyone with an interest in church history, generally.

Skye Ablaze (385pp) is self-published and is available from Lulu.com for £19.92 (plus p&p).