Lord's Supper on Lewis

When Alexander Macleod became pastor on the Isle of Lewis in the 1820's he was told that everyone there was ignorant of the gospel except one shepherd-boy (who later became a minister at Knock!). In his congregation were about 800 communicant members, but they did not know the basics of the Christian faith. So, Macleod suspended the Lord's Supper among them until they began to understand the sacrament and "bring forth fruits meet for repentance." And so he instructed them in the gospel. In June, 1827 Macleod dispensed the sacrament again; he tells the following:

"Yesterday the sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered in this place, and much of the presence of the Lord appeared in the congregation . . . There were no more than twenty communicants in all. The whole of the unworthy communicants kept back, and a great many of our young converts did not take upon them to come forward. The congregation was much impressed through the whole day. When the elements were presented, there appeared as a shower of revival from the presence of the Lord through the whole congregation . . . But all this might be called the commencement of what happened afterwards, for when our young converts saw the uncommon liberty that was granted to the pastors in addressing those who sat at the table, they were still more impressed and filled as it were with new wine and holy solemnity. Much disappointment now appeared among several of them that they had not taken out tokens, and so were not prepared to come forward. Pungent conviction, towards the evening, took hold of some of them for not obeying Christ's command. It was a night ever to be remembered in this place, in which the whole of it was spent in religious exercises, whether in private or together with others, in cases mingled with unusual instances of joy and sorrow. While these things were carried on, the ungodly themselves were in tears, and iniquity for a time dwindled into nothing, covered her brazen face and was greatly ashamed."