BIRTH OF RT. REV. PATRICK GORDON—CO-ADJUTOR TO BISHOP NICHOLSON— 3,000 CATHOLICS CONFIRMED IN THE HIGHLANDS IN 1700—DIFFICULTY OF TRAVELLING IN THE HIGHLANDS—VICAR-GENERAL FOR THE HIGHLANDS— FIRST ORDINATION OF A PRIEST IN SCOTLAND SINCE THE “REFORMATION”— 2,242 PERSONS CONFIRMED—VISITATION IN LOWLANDS—FREQUENT PROSE­CUTIONS THERE—POPULAR DREAD OF CATHOLICS—DIVISION OF MISSION INTO LOWLAND AND HIGHLAND DISTRICTS—SCALAN FOUNDED—MYSTE­RIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF THE PROPOSED VICAR APOSTOLIC OF THE HIGH­LANDS—DEATH OF THE LAST CATHOLIC DUKE OF GORDON—A PLOT AGAINST THE BISHOP—BISHOP HUGH M’DONALD—DEATH OF BISHOP GORDON, 1746.

James Gordon, son of Patrick Gordon of Glastirum, and a cadet of the Latterfourie Family, was born, 1664, in the district of the Enzie, County of Banff. In 1680 he went to commence and complete his ecclesiastical studies at the Scotch College of Paris. In due course he was ordained priest and returned to Scotland in 1692. He laboured in his native district till 1702. He was then sent to Rome as assistant to Mr. William Leslie, who was still agent of the Scotch mission in its relations with the Holy See. While there he was appointed co-adjutor to Bishop Nicholson, and consecrated by Cardinal Barbarigo, Bishop of Nicopolis, at Montefiascone, on Low Sunday, the 11th April, 1706. He came to Scotland the same year, and succeeded Bishop Nicholson in 1718 as Vicar Apostolic.

In passing through France, he repaired to St. Germain and paid his respects to the exiled King and Royal Family. He then travelled by way of Holland, and arrived at Aberdeen by the end of July. He found Bishop Nicholson in a state of great affliction, some priests having become inca­pacitated by age, and, what was worse, others having fallen and given scandal. In such sorrowful circumstances he stood in need of consolation; and the arrival of his co-adjutor was a source of joy to him.
In 1707, a general meeting of the clergy had been held, and new divisions, or districts, assigned to both the secular and regular priests. Of the former there were, at the time, fifteen, and of the latter twenty-one, viz: eleven Jesuits, four Benedictines, one Augustinian and five Franciscans. These figures show that there was an increase in the number of the clergy, since the accession of Bishop Nicholson. Bishop Nicholson had made a visitation of the Highlands in 1700 and confirmed 3,000 Catholics. He had found it impossible to undertake another visitation; and Bishop Gordon now resolved to visit the Highlands for the first time. He was not, however, able to set out so early in the season as he desired, having to attend to a congregation that was, at the time, without a priest. He was thus engaged throughout Lent and till after Easter. He then fell ill in consequence of over-exertion. He was able, at length, by the beginning of June, to commence his journey. He was accompanied by a youthful deacon who could not speak Gaelic. The party travelled through Badenoch, and, in five days, reached Glengarry. There they had the last meal of bread and meat that they were to enjoy for several weeks to come. Pretty comfort­able beds could be made of such materials as were at hand—heather, grass or straw. But the huts, in which they were spread, freely admitted the rain in wet weather. The Bishop might have provided for travelling more comfortably. But he was passing through a country where some of the better sort of people sought no better way of living, and he wished to avoid all appearance of luxury. Two of the senior priests of the Highlands who were to accompany him on his visi­tation, met him at Glengarry. As there was a garrison of soldiers there, he was advised to proceed to the remoter parts of the country before commencing his episcopal duties. Guided by this counsel, he sent back his horses and continued his journey on foot. This he did, partly to avoid notice, and partly to set an example of endurance to those who accompanied him. At Glenquoich the difficulty of advancing was still greater. Some of the rough mountain tracks were such that the travellers were obliged to scramble over them on all fours. There were frequent precipices which made their advance dangerous as well as difficult; and the swamps, which they had to traverse. rendered it impossible for them to keep their feet dry. The Bishop, however, kept up the spirits of the party by the buoyancy of his own. At the head of one of the Lochs they were met by Glengarry’s brother, who conveyed them in a boat to his house, some miles distant. Here they rested for a couple of days, and on the l0th repaired to the Laird of Knoydart’s House. The proper work of the visitation was now begun. On the Sunday following the day of the Bishop’s arrival, the people were called together and confirmation administered. Next day the party reached an island in Loch Morar, and, on the Tuesday, proceeded, partly by this loch, and partly by land, to Arisaig, and the same day embarked in the Laird of Moydart’s boat, in order to be conveyed to the Island of Uist. A contrary wind obliged them to land at Eigg, where the people were catechised and otherwise prepared for confirmation. These duties occu­pied two days. One of the priests preached in Gaelic; and after Mass the Bishop delivered a short sermon which a priest translated into Gaelic. Such was the usual order of proceeding on occa­sion of confirmation being administered. Only once, or twice, was this order departed from, when preaching was omitted in order to shorten the service and avoid being surprised by the soldiers. On occasion of these services, the Bishop generally conversed with the leading people of the different localities in order to be informed of the state of their congregations.

The party now, June 26th, passed over to Rum, and the following day landed at Uist. In this large island they were hospitably entertained at the house of the laird. On the 29th confirmation was administered according to the usual order; and on the 30th the Bishop and his friends sailed for Barra. The four first days of July were spent there and in the small island of Watersay, the priest of which received from the Bishop a copy of the statuta missionis. The Bishop returned to Uist, visiting also Benbecula. When in Uist he appointed a vicar-general in order to exercise the duties of inspection over all the islands. On sailing from Canna, after having given instruction and confirmation there, he was in danger of being shipwrecked. His boat was on the point of being lost in a gale, when one of the priests, who understood something of seamanship, brought the party safe next morning to the Island of Eigg. Confirmation was, then held at Arisaig.

It may be mentioned, as illustrating the intolerance which still prevailed, that the Bishop could not go to Moydart, soldiers being stationed there; but was obliged to invite the people of that country to come to him for instruction and confirmation at Ardness. He then repaired to Boro­dale, and thence over “the rough bounds,” to Knoydart. At Scothouse in that district, he conferred the order of priesthood on the deacon, who had accompanied him from Preshome and appointed him a missionary for the Highlands. This was the first ordination of a priest in Scot­land’ since the “Reformation.” Returning south, the Bishop stayed three days in Strathglass, instructing and administering confirmation. He did the same in Glengarry, but, very privately, as there was a garrison there. Fatigue and insufficient food now caused a fever, which did not, however, oblige the Bishop to discontinue his travels. He made his visitation of Lochaber, and then proceeding to Badenoch, took leave of the two priests who had. accompanied him. An attack of dysentery did not prevent him from pursuing his journey, and passing down Strath­spey, he reached his brother’s house at Balnacraig on Aug. 21st.

During the visitation 2,242 persons had been confirmed; and no molestation was experienced. This immunity from all trouble must, no doubt, be ascribed to the great prudence with which the mission was conducted. The Bishop often renewed his visitation of the Highlands. He spent a whole winter there, 1710-1711, and was heard to say that he enjoyed better health there than in the Lowlands. His object in staying so long was to learn the habits of the people, and acquire a sufficient knowledge of their language so as to be better able to impart instruction on occasion of his visitations.

A great increase of labour fell to the share of the co-adjutor, as the health of Bishop Nicholson began to fail. The year after his visitation of the Highlands, to which reference has been made, he visited every part of the Lowlands, a task all the more difficult as the Catholics there were fewer in number and more widely scattered than in the Highlands. They were also more exposed to annoying prosecutions, being nearer the courts of law, and surrounded by neighbours who looked upon them as rebels and idolators. Bishop Gordon gave them great comfort and encour­agement on occasion of administering confirmation. Notwithstanding the engrossing nature of his episcopal duties, he was able to maintain a vigorous correspondence with the Cardinals of Propaganda. It has been truly remarked that his letters are characterized by “singular elegance of language, strength, justness and animation of sentiment.”

In addition to the inveterate prejudice against their religion, the Catholics were subject to suspi­cion on account of so many of their number having borne an active part in the cause of the exiled Royal Family. There thus hung over them a two-fold mistrust. They were avoided as enemies of the “true religion,” and dreaded as partisans who might rise in arms against the established order of things. It is, indeed, under the circumstances, matter for surprise that the persecution was not more active than it was. The patience and fortitude of the Catholics in those days of gloom and despondency were powerfully sustained by the presence among them of bishops and priests of their Church.

In the year 1712 it was resolved to establish in a remote and comparatively inaccessible part of the country a seminary for the education of Scotch ecclesiastics. A place called Scalan, on the estate of the Duke of Gordon, in a, mountainous region, known as “the Cabrach,” was selected as the seat of this institution, which was destined, although very humble in its beginnings, to receive, at no distant date, very wonderful developments. In its remote abode, even, it did good service, and that for not less than a century.

As has already been shown, the Jacobite affair of 1715 brought a new storm of troubles on the Catholics of Scotland, as well as those of England. But, it was a less merciless age, and would not tolerate such atrocious acts of cruelty as had disgraced preceding periods of our history.

For some years Bishop Gordon entertained the opinion that it was expedient to divide the Vicar­iate of Scotland, so as that the Highland regions and the Lowland should each have a Bishop Vicar Apostolic. The clergy generally now came to share his views, and the time was come, he conceived, when Propaganda should be addressed on the subject. He made the necessary proposal accordingly, and, at the same time, recommended the Rev. Alexander Grant, the Pres­ident of the seminary at Scalan, as the most suitable person to be appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Highlands. Everything connected with this important matter was proceeding smoothly, when Mr. Grant repaired in person to Rome and was approved, nominated and promised his Bulls of consecration by the time of his return to Scotland. Meanwhile, however, Mr. Grant fell ill, when on his way home, at Genoa. His ailment was partly ague, partly despondency of mind. His supply of money having failed, he wrote to Paris for more, but the letter in reply, containing the necessary remittance, never reached him. This unfortunate circumstance preyed on his mind; and his imagination becoming diseased, he believed that his friends had deserted him, and that he was wholly unfit for the great responsibilities of the Episcopal office. The Bulls for his consecration reached Scotland. But in vain; Mr. Grant never arrived there. He was never heard of more, although letters concerning him were frequently despatched to Rome and others written from Rome. It is conjectured that he may have retired into a monastery, but with greater probability, that he died, when unable to make himself known, in some public hospital.

In 1728 the last of the Dukes of Gordon, who was a Catholic, died prematurely. This was a severe blow to the numerous Catholics on his estates. His widow, the Duchess, although a Prot­estant, showed herself friendly to the clergy who laboured among her tenants. The great protector being no more, a plot was contrived for the destruction of the Bishop. He was accused of a design to carry off the youthful heir of the house of Gordon to the continent, in order to have him educated in the Catholic religion. This plot prevailed so far as to cause the Bishop to be arrested and committed to prison. The Duchess knew perfectly well that there was no ground for suspecting the Bishop of such a purpose; and she was, accordingly, the most active among all concerned in obtaining his liberation. It would have been strange, indeed, if so prudent a prelate had entertained a scheme that would have renewed the persecution of Catholics and nullified the labours of half a century.

On occasion of the appointment of a Bishop Vicar Apostolic for the Highlands, Bishop Gordon addressed a letter which has been preserved, “to all the churchmen and honourable Catholic gentlemen in the Highlands of Scotland.” This letter is dated Edinburgh, October 29, 1741:

“The universal Pastor of the Catholic Church, considering maturely that my advanced years cannot allow me to serve you henceforth, as I have done for many years. and that it will prove much for your advantage, and that of all the Highland counties of Scotland to have a Bishop constantly to reside among you, has, in his great wisdom and tender love for you all, with the consent and at the desire of our Sovereign (meaning James VIII), ordered the most worthy bearer, the most Rev. Hugh MacDonald, to be consecrated Bishop to serve among you as your chief pastor and Bishop. And His Holiness sending him, as Bishop, among you, appointed him also Vicar-Apostolic, with singular powers, to enable him to discharge this office with the greatest honour and authority, etc,

IA. EP. Nicop., Vic. Ap.
in Planis Scotix.”

Bishop Gordon’s jurisdiction was now, 1731, limited to the Lowlands, the Scotch Vicariate being divided, and Bishop Hugh MacDonald appointed first Vicar-Apostolic of the Highlands. This important change was effected by the Holy See through the solicitation and influence of Bishop Gordon. This venerable Prelate continued to preside over the Vicariate. of the Lowlands till his death, which occurred the 1st of March, 1746, at Thornhill, near Drummond Castle, in the house of Mrs. Mary Drummond, a Catholic lady. He was buried at Innerpeffery, the burial place of the Dukes of Perth. His remains were not yet removed from Thornhill when a party of soldiers came to take possession of Drummond Castle.