Introduction and a Brief Bio:

Murdoch Campbell was arguably the greatest Scottish Devotional writer of the the 20th Century.  His books simple style have comforted many of the Lord’s People. I must admit that Memories of a Wayfaring Man is probably one of the most cherished and beneficial books I have ever read. Murdoch Campbell was also deeply aware of the history of Christ cause in the Highlands and there are numerous memories of it in his auto-biography as well as the book he devoted to the subject (Gleanings of Highland Harvest)shows a deep appreciation for the cause of Christ and a desire to preserve the  memories of God’s work in the Highlandsfor the generations to come.  It is his profound love for Christ and His Church coupled with his tender devotional style that has led me to publish this blog. I want others to glean from the spiritual depth and Highland religion of Murdoch Campbell.

Rev. Murdoch Campbell was born in Ness on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. From an early age he had deep religious impressions. He would eventually be converted and study Divinity at the Free Church College, having a summer Pastorate in Fort William(as a student), Ontario and charges as an Ordained Minster in the Free Church of Scotland at Fort Augustus, Partick-Highland(Glasgow) and Resolis in Ross-shire . He was known for preaching in a deeply spiritual way to the soul of the Lord’s people as well as calling those who were unconverted to repentance and Faith in Christ. He is best remembered for his numerous devotional books on various subjects and his Spiritual Auto-biography Memories of a Wayfaring Man, as well as numerous other books.(which will be listed later.)

(Rev. Murdoch Campbell, pictured above)

 

The Benefits of Reading Murdoch Campbell: 

Murdoch Campbell throughout his whole Christian life had abundant evidence of the Lord being with him. His ministry saw conversions under it, he felt the nearness of the Spirit of God and enjoyed deep communion with Christ. He was a man who was greatly humbled by the presence and work of the Lord in his life, he attributed this special nearness to God to a desire to pray, at the first sign of trouble he would pray. This prayer-fullness would often times lead to the Lord giving him sweet comforts of his Presence by pressing verses on his mind or having comforting dreams about events that were to happen.

Having a special sense of the Lord’s nearness Campbell was tremendously gifted in writing practical devotional works designed to help the Lord’s people in difficult straights. His book In All Their Affliction is a pastoral work dealing with many topics and struggles that the Lord’s people have. The work covers topics such as besetting sin, loneliness, death, despair, and struggles with Satan. The beauty of this simple and short work is that it is not so much a doctrinal treatise but a simple book designed to help the most afflicted believer to look to the Lord.

Murdoch Campbell also wrote and thought with an eye to the past and an eye to the future. He was immensely aware of the great work that had been done by Ministers before him in Scotland and was aware that great work would need to be done after in Scotland as he could see the whole nation was deteriorating into ungodliness. He loved the history of the past work in the Scottish Highlands and in his own Ministry tried to follow after the ideas that the giants before his time had espoused. In Gleanings of Highland Harvest Campbell convey’s his deep respect for the Spirituality that once had been such a force in the Highlands and to read those tales knowing the state of Scotland today will nearly move one to tears.

Murdoch Campbell also had a number of his sermons published, which offer a great deal of hope to God’s people and a clear Gospel Message where the Centrality of Christ is set fort. Campbell understood the Lord’s people’s constant need to hear of the comfort of Christ and the joys of salvation and also for the unconverted to be awoken, and  to fear their state- this is clearly conveyed in all of his sermons. My favorite set of sermons by Campbell is called Everlasting Love, Devotional Sermons by Murdoch Campbell, in those sermons Campbell showed clearly the love of the Lord toward His people was an “Ever Lasting Love”(Jer. 31:3).

Overall if you want deeply devotional works which will make you long for the Lord’s nearness, illustrate the History of God’s Redemptive Work and provide comfort to the frail soul, I can do nothing but commend you to read Murdoch Campbell.

 

Here is a list of his published works:

Everlasting Love, Devotional Sermons by Murdoch Campbell. 

Gleanings of Highland Harvest. 

Memories of a Wayfaring Man. 

In All Their Affliction. 

From Grace to Glory: Meditations of the Book of Psalms 

The Loveliest Story Ever Told 

The Suburbs of Heaven: The Diary of Murdoch Campbell 

As well as some of his Gaelic Poetry has been translated.