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Chapter VII.
At College.

The success which had attended Mr Stuart's school at Leven, put it within his power, in about two years and a half, to enter on his undergraduate course at St. Andrew's University. His way was smoothed by a bursary which he gained in public competition, and that, along with his hoard of hard earnings, supplemented by an occasional contribution to his pantry from the home stores, enabled him to tide over the session without anxiety on the score of finance.

His heart, like that of many a poor Scottish youth in similar circumstances, was stirred with deep emotion when he passed through the gates of that ancient seat of learning, and saw in his new privileges the fulfilment of dreams and aspirations which had visited him in early days; and when he surveyed with wondering eyes the literary treasures which crowded the shelves of its noble library, and realised that they were his to explore and intellectually appropriate, a thrill of joy passed through his soul; and there was awakened within him a feeling of devoutest thankfulness to God for the educational advantages which he was now permitted to enjoy.

His fine physique and eminent social qualities soon secured for him a foremost place at college, an page 44he was early recognised by his fellow-students as one of their most trusted and gifted leaders. He joined five others, who like himself were eager to be abreast of the world's intelligence, in subscribing for the celebrated Edinburgh Witness, which was then edited by Hugh Miller. "We prized," he said, "the prelections of our professors, but the arrival of our newspaper never failed to withdraw us for an hour from science and philosophy. The questions and discussions with which it dealt had an irresistible charm for us. Prizing the newspaper, I never grudged its cost, or deemed the hours devoted to its study as wasted or lost."

He was fortunate enough to receive an appointment on the teaching staff of the Madras College, St. Andrew's, and was agreeably surprised to find that in the Primary School connected with that institution, Mr Andrew Young, the able and enthusiastic head of the English section, had the beginners initiated into the art of reading much in the same way as had been pursued at Croft Moraig—the only difference being that instead of a primer being held in the hand of each child, the teacher stood beside a large blackboard, and with chalk wrote in capital letters, say this sentence, The ox is fat. The scholars simultaneously spelled and named each word, thus: T-h-e The, o-x ox. The ox i-s is. The ox is f-a-t fat. The ox is fat; and in this way the entire lesson was gone through. "Everyone in the class," the Doctor said, "could, as a rule, read the short sentences by the time every word was spelled, sounded, and read. The repetition fixed the impression on the page 45mind, so that whenever the words met them, the children recognized them, and could both spell and read them without hesitation.

In the year 1840, Mr Stuart visited his native vale, on the occasion of the death of his grandfather, at the age of 94 years, and exerted all his influence on the side of social reform, in respect of the funeral customs of the time and place. He then prevailed on his parents to dispense with the dissipation of the day and night wakes, the observance of which was required by the social customs of the age, during the period that elapsed between death and interment. "In that part of the Highlands," he said, "the married women visited the house of mourning in companies during the day, and were suitably entertained. From sundown to 10 o'clock p.m. the married men were present. They received at intervals whisky and bread and cheese, discussed such topics as were of interest to them, and sang pieces that were neither Psalms nor hymns. At 10 o'clock the young men and women filled the house, and received every two hours a round of whisky and bread and cheese. As the night wore on the heat and excitement grew, and the young folks indulged in 'forfeits' and other games. Death in a family was, in fact, a costly event. I am glad to say that the Disruption, by the social breach which it made in a country-side, gave the death-blow to a custom which was felt to be burdensome, and that tended to the confirmation of habits which were hostile alike to decency and religion."

"He belonged," as he said himself, "to a race that page 46was fond of songs," and in 1839, fired with an enthusiastic devotion to Gaelic literature, he became a member of the Celtic Society of St. Andrew's University, and had the ambitious dream that, if God spared him, he would collect and edit the songs of the Perthshire Highlands. He gave considerable attention also to the subject of comparative philology, and was urged by Professor Gillespie, who in his day was deemed the legitimate successor of Dr Hunter, to apply himself to that line of study; and he very seriously contemplated adventuring upon a literary career. "But the Disruption came," he said, "breaking off all ties," and that dispelled his visions of literary fame. His copious treatment of the subjects prescribed to him at College drew from one of the professors the following criticism on one of his essays: "Should the writer issue into a clergyman, he will find his powers of amplification of immense service to him." That faculty had its roots in the glowing poetic temperament which he carried with him into all his academic work, and which made him a keen and eloquent interpreter of the things which lay around his feet.

In the Summer vacations, like many other Scottish students who had sprung from humble homes, he was glad to secure tutorial appointments; one of which brought him the advantages of foreign travel, which his keen powers of observation and large intellectual receptivity were able to turn to good account.

The "non-intrusion" agitation which convulsed Scotland, and caused the disruption of its great page 47historic Church, disturbed the academic quietude of the old University town; and Mr Stuart, with all his strong force of character, threw himself energetically into it, and became, in his own sphere, a recognised leader of the movement. In 1842, he made a short visit to Breadalbane; and, as it had become known that his sympathies were all on the side of non-intrusion, he complied with an urgent request that was made to him to address a public meeting at Aberfeldy on that burning question. Some days previously he had received an invitation to dine with the minister of Dull, whom Mr Stuart had known in his school days as a "stickit" minister. The report of the non-intrusion address in the village had meanwhile reached his ears: and, though he did not cancel his invitation to the daring student, yet (to quote the Doctor's own words) "he belaboured me on my conduct in so ungentlemanly a fashion that I left his table, telling him that I could not aceept the hospitality of a man who made the exercise of my right a crime. I shook the dust off my feet, and sought the rest, the plain fare, and the welcome of a cottager who commended me for my spirited protest against such despicable tyranny. Another minister, at whose feet I had worshipped for seven years, and to whom I was indebted not even for a letter of introduction when I left my Highland vale to push my way among a people who respected religious liberty, intimated to me that it was not convenient to entertain me at the Manse on the day he had fixed. But, as no other clay was mentioned, I could read the cause between the lines without the spectacles of second sight."

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When the Moderate Party, which had been long dominant in the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, became again the minority in 1834, the accession of the Evangelicals to power was signalised by the passage of the famous veto law, by which it was declared that it is a fundamental law of the Church that no pastor shall be intruded on any congregation contrary to the will of the people, and enacted, in order to give effect to this principle, that a solemn dissent of a majority of male heads of families, members of the vacant congregation and in full communion with the Church, shall be deemed sufficient ground for the rejection of the presentee. The Veto Act in course of time became the subject of litigation in the Court of Session. The struggles in regard to patronage between the parties in the Assembly became keener and more frequent until the decision of the Civil Courts in the famous Auchterarder and Strathbogie cases brought matters to a crisis; and, on the 18th May, 1843, Dr Chalmers, followed by 474 ministers, left the Church of his fathers, rather than sacrifice those principles which he believed essential to the purity, honour, and independence of the Church of Christ.

This great movement powerfully influenced the students, some of whom supported the authorities and declared in favour of the existing order of things, while others clamoured for reform in the Church and in the government of the University. The election of Lord Rector of St. Andrew's University occasioned a crisis, which seriously affected the academical standing of some of the students. The Reform Party brought page 49forward Dr Thomas Chalmers in opposition to the nominee of the Senators, and carried his election. Mr Stuart, who represented his nation, voted with the majority. The Senatus, in its haste, summoned the "rebels," as they were termed, and asked them to submit to an admonition for the part which they had taken in the election. They respectfully declined, on the ground that their action was within the limits of the constitution. The Senatus thereupon, by a large majority, expelled Mr Stuart and two other students—the acknowledged leaders of the movement within the University. They felt keenly the harsh judgment which had been pronounced against them, which involved humiliation as well as financial loss. Nothing appalled by the power and prestige of the great and venerable institution which had done them such open wrong, they moved in high places for a searching inquiry, and had the satisfaction of being reponed by Royal Commission.

"When the Disruption came," the Doctor said, "it was found that the common people sided with the Gospel of Grace which brought them life, light, and salvation. Among the upper classes, too, it found good and true friends:—The Lord Breadalbane of the clay; Menzies, of Chestle, near Fortingale, and Peters, of Aberfeldy, rendered signal services in Disruption days, in organising Free churches and schools, to the great advantage of the people."