James Turner knew he had not long to live when he came here.
"I am working in Gardenstown night and day. The first night I came there were many indications of the Spirit's presence, and those are becoming more marked every day — so many crying for mercy that sometimes my voice has been completely drowned. The place in which we meet is so crowded that the other night I had to go out by the window instead of the door. I am to be in the Free Church on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Many old people are finding the Saviour. As old as eighty-five years. Glory be to God!
An individual residing in Gardenstown thus describes the change:-"Some have been raised from ignorance, vice, and wretchedness to respectability, influence, and happiness. They have changed their obscene language for the sweet language of Canaan — their profane songs for the songs of Zion — the dance for the prayer meeting — and the time and the means which were formerly spent in the dram shop are now employed in seeking to promote the interests of religion. In short, the general aspect of the community is changed for the better. Drink was the besetting sin of those places, now it is ashamed, hiding its face in the streets. There is not now half the number of public houses in this district that there was formerly, while in the village of Crovie not a drop of spirits can be had. Before Mr Turner came into this district, family worship was a thing unknown in Crovie, while in Gardenstown it was little attended to. Now there is scarcely a home but has its altar, while the prayer meetings commenced by him are kept up with life in both villages."
From 'James Turner or how to reach the masses,' by E McHardie, page 32-3.
The Banffshire Journal of Tuesday (10th inst) says:— Revivals of a character similar to those in Portknockie and Buckie, in the west of the country, have occurred in the fishing villages of Gardenstown and Crovie, in the extreme eastern part of the country. The population in Crovie is exclusively, and in Gardenstown almost entirely, composed of fishermen. The Rev. John Munro, minister at Gardenstown, says: "The chief immediate cause in developing more strongly the deep religious feeling in the hearts of the people has been the visit of four fishermen from Portknockie, zealous revivalists." The men who were at Crovie from Portknockie report, that at the Thursday meeting, in the forenoon, nearly the whole assemblage were "struck down" at once. The Portknockie men said they had seen nothing equal to it in the west. Some of the persons lay prostrate till five o'clock in the afternoon. The people again met in the evening and did not separate until midnight—more prostrations occurring, and the Portknockie men had to separate into pairs and officiate in two different houses, in order that all who came might have the benefit of their services.
From 'The Revival Newspaper' Volume ii p125