I recently read a short book on the life of David Steven, a Christian leader in Caithness during the nineteenth century, written by Alexander Auld, a Free Church minister from Caithness who published other historical material on Christianity in the Northern Highlands (Auld includes some of the text of this book in his Noted Ministers and Men of the Northern Highlands).
David was born in 1789 or 1790 and died in 1873. Going by some comments made by him, the days in which he lived were not as deep spiritually as in earlier periods, yet in comparison to what has been the case in recent decades they were much better than now, at least as far as church attendance is concerned. But that is true of everywhere in our country.
His father having died in an accident before David was born, his mother and siblings had to leave the farm his father worked and go to live with her parents. At some stage in his youth, he learned many Psalms and the Shorter Catechism. He also heard Haldane preachers when they came to Caithness. While not converted through their preaching, he recalled their visits and always remembered a saying of one of them – ‘A fish can no more live out of water than a believer can live without prayer.’
David had many natural talents. He was adept in looking after animals, he was very capable with his hands, and he played the violin. He worked for several years as a cooper, but on finding out that he was skilled at watchmaking and cleaning clocks and mending watches, he changed his career.
He did not give much thought to his soul until he was about twenty-five. His conversion was a gradual process and while he was developing an interest in religion he continued with worldly pleasures until rebuked for his inconsistency by a woman regarded as a prominent sinner in the area. That rebuke prompted him to be more earnest in spiritual things and he began attending the preaching of a leading evangelical, Mr. Gunn of Watten.
Gunn’s preaching affected him deeply, first by conviction of sin, and then with gospel deliverance which took place during a sermon Gunn preached on John 3:16. What particularly impressed him from that sermon was the preacher’s emphasis on the love of the Father in sending his Son as Saviour. Before then, he had assumed that it was the death of Jesus that had caused the Father to love his people. He had further profound experiences later that day in his own home.
David became an earnest Christian. With others he studied the Bible and the writings of old divines. It was the period in the Church of Scotland when evangelicalism was beginning to increase and the dominant Moderatism to decline. David’s studies also led him to becoming informed about the state of the church nationally and beyond. Moreover, he attended fellowship meetings and although still young he was recognised as a suitable speaker at those gatherings. The Communion Season at Watten was a gathering that Christians from surrounding parishes came to and his circle of friends widened. His home became a gathering place on the evenings of the Communion Season. He began a weekly instruction class in his own house on Sunday evenings for young people. The classes were held for half a century and were based on the Shorter Catechism.
David supported the Disruption that took place in 1843. The appearance of the Free Church also allowed David to attend communions in other congregations. At that time, there was a fellowship meeting on each evening of the Communion Season, with a prolonged one on the Sunday evening, and David soon became a regular speaker at those gatherings. The author says that at the Sunday gatherings David could speak for hours, and the listeners delighted to hear what he said.
One chapter focuses on David’s character traits. He was marked by consistency, humility, earnestness, elevation of thought, reverence for divine ordinances, liberality of mind, and profitable conversation. The author was aware that readers may find such a description as exaggerated, but cites the opinions of well-known Christians, including Dr John Kennedy of Dingwall, who acknowledged his spiritual stature.
Though an exemplary Christian, he was often distressed by his awareness of indwelling sin and lack of spiritual progress. The sample of letters included in the book reveal that he shared his complaints about himself with like-minded friends and no doubt received useful counsel from them as well as earnest mutual prayer by them on his behalf.
The brief account of his life shows that he was a man of the Word. Through it he found guidance in striking ways and comfort in difficult circumstances. Above all, he met Christ in it. As he said in one of his letters, ‘It is in the person and work of Christ that the Father hath declared Himself to be well-pleased, and it is there that rest is to be found when all else is dark. But you say, how shall I get into rest? In the record of the Old and New Testaments Christ is set forth, and it is your duty and interest to read and to meditate on the wonders of redeeming love there declared; the poor sinner thus spreading his little sails, the blessed Spirit of God may some day breathe upon him, and sail him into the harbour of rest.’
From his own experience and that of others, as he stated in a letter to Mrs Auld, he noted that ‘The Lord’s people have got cabinets in which to lock up their jewels, and it is their wisdom to be doing so. But it is not at all times they can open this, and view what it contains. Sometimes experience is so dark that they cannot see that ever they got a token for good from the Lord. But the next time the light of His countenance shines on their souls, it will take off the covering off all the former, and they will see the unchangeableness and faithfulness of Him whose gifts and callings are without repentance.’
