Samuel Ferguson on William Gamble.
James Dodson
[Page 85]
THE REV. WILLIAM GAMBLE.
THE family from which William Gamble sprang was one of the many families which fled from Scotland during the period of the persecution. Consequently they were of a far different fibre from most of those “planted” by James I. in Ulster. Originally their home was at Saltcoats, in Scotland, and as some of their ancestors bore arms at the siege of Derry, they must have been settled in this country prior to 1688. William Gamble was the son of Robert Gamble, a member of the Covenanting Church, and was born in the neighbourhood of Ballykelly, in County Derry, in 1763. After the preliminary education necessary, young Gamble went to Glasgow University about 1780. In Glasgow he had for companion William Gibson, afterwards Minister at Kellswater. Gibson had not been brought up a Covenanter, and it was owing to Gamble’s influence that he joined the fellowship of the Covenanting Church. As often happens, the friendship of the two students, early formed, remained close and lasting during their lives. These two young men appeared before the Presbytery together, and they were licensed together on the same day in 1785. They preached as candidates to the congregation of Ramelton, and
[Page 86]
a considerable difference of opinion prevailed among the electors there regarding their merits. The Rev. Robert Young presided at a moderation in a call in 1788, and a majority voted for Mr. Gibson. The minority were the most influential members of the congregation, and Mr. Gibson wisely declined the call, which was without delay transferred unanimously to Mr. Gamble, who accepted it. He was settled at Ballygey,¹ between Milford and Ramelton, on 23rd July, 1788, that place being considered the most central and convenient for all the members of the scattered charge. It may be added that so far as we can discover the meeting-house built at Ballygey was the first Reformed Presbyterian place of worship erected in County Donegal.
The district around Ramelton had proved a resting place for many Scottish families, both of the “Plantation” and of the persecution. Supplies had been sent to these members and adherents of the Church from the Reformed Presbytery in Scotland many years before Mr. Gamble’s settlement among them. The Rev. Robert Young had lived in Ramelton for some years and had ministered to them. It is not surprising therefore that in 1788 there were eighty families in connection with the congregation, scattered, no doubt, very widely.
_____
¹ This is erroneously written Ballyvey in Dr. Reid’s History. The church at Ballygey is now an utter ruin.
[Page 87]
Convoy, Donegal town, and the neighbourhoods around Milford, Ramelton, and Letterkenny, each contributed its quota of members. It seems almost impossible that one man could minister to such an extensive congregation. But Mr. Gamble was physically, as well as mentally, a very strong man. When he was at his prime he weighed eighteen stone, and was made in proportion. In the later years of his life his appearance has been described to us as very striking. As we have said, he was tall and portly, and when preaching away from home he wore a heavy blue cloth cloak fastened over his breast with a large brass clasp; he had “knee breeches” with long stockings, and he always wore shoes with large silver buckles. As Wordsworth says of his “Wanderer”—
“He was a man
Whom no one could have passed without remark.
Active and nervous was his gait; his limbs
And his whole figure breathed intelligence.”
His first public service was not such as to give promise of eminence as a preacher. It was in a place near Bready, in a field now and for a long time past belonging to the M‘Eldowney family, that the service was held on the occasion. Mr. Gamble was with the Rev. S. Alexander at the time. Mr. Alexander prefaced the psalm, and Mr.
[Page 88]
Gamble was then called on to deliver his first sermon. He got through the introduction satisfactorily, but after announcing the division of his sermon he came to a sudden stop. Several times he tried to go on, but in vain. His memory proved a blank; and ultimately he sat down humiliated. Alexander rose, took up his text, and preached with acceptance on the lines laid down by his young friend. Gamble was so much downcast by his first experience in preaching that he asked the Presbytery to give him another year to study and prepare for the work. This they refused to do, knowing that he was already thoroughly trained. His next attempt wiped out his first failure, and before long he had a well-established reputation as a powerful and effective preacher. For a long series of years he was regularly invited to assist at the Bready communion, and no one was more appreciated as a minister.
It is very much to Mr. Gamble’s credit that during all the years of the Volunteers and United Irishmen he never allowed himself to be drawn into the whirlpool of strife and trouble. This, perhaps, may be accounted for by the fact that these organizations did not take such deep root in County Donegal as in Antrim and Down, and also, to some extent, by reason of his naturally distant and reserved disposition.
Many stories are still told of Mr. Gamble. Once
[Page 89]
when riding over the mountain from Donegal he had as companion a talkative and self-important Methodist preacher, who said that he was the first to carry Christ over that mountain. “Well,” replied Gamble, “I have many a time read of the ass that carried Christ, but I have never seen it before.” Gamble himself had often preached there before his Methodist friend appeared on the scene. It was a thing of common occurrence in those times for travellers to be attacked by Peep o’ Day Boys and other disturbers of the public peace. Frequently too the treatment accorded by such lawless bands to respectable and inoffensive wayfarers was cruel and disgraceful. One night Mr. Gamble was attacked by some such party who seized him and led him away into a house. Here the lights were at once extinguished by these disguised ruffians. He was ordered to deliver up his arms, money, or anything else that he had of a valuable nature. He managed to get hold of a chair and defended himself so ably that he made good his way to the door, got out, and left them sadder but wiser men. We have also heard that about 1798 a certain officer with a company of soldiers visited Mr. Gamble’s house at Greenhill, near Letterkenny, during the absence of its master. The officer, doubtless to display his authority, demanded to be shewn the books and papers in the house, though no suspicion of complicity with the
[Page 90]
United Irishmen rested on Mr. Gamble. Having duly tossed the manuscripts and books in the study, the officer was taking his departure when he fancied a fowl that he saw about the place. At once the order was given to one of the soldiers to lift the bird and bring it with him. Needless to say, the order was readily obeyed. On the return of the minister to his home, he was informed of what had taken place in his absence. He was greatly incensed and immediately started for Letterkenny. Entering the military barracks there, he sought the officer and boldly ordered him to return the stolen property. To this demand an insulting reply was returned. Mr. Gamble lifted his staff and told him there and then to draw his sword and defend himself or return the stolen property. Thinking discretion the better part of valour, the officer directed the fowl to be restored to its owner, and with it an apology was tendered. Punctuality was one of Mr. Gamble’s strong points, and on one occasion he made his elders at Gortlee feel this in a very simple but effective way. A meeting of Session had been announced at Gortlee, and prompt to time the minister was in the Session-room. No one appeared, however. After waiting a few minutes, Mr. Gamble took his hat and walked off, meeting on his way several of the elders going to the Session. He simply bade them time of day and passed on.
[Page 91]
We need hardly say that on the next occasion of their meeting they were all present before the appointed hour.
During Mr. Gamble’s pastorate the congregation of Convoy¹ was formed as a kind of branch from the older organisation at Gortlee. Indeed, on every side there would seem to have been considerable additions to the membership of the congregation at this time. The districts now served by the congregations of Milford and Ramelton, Letterkenny, Convoy, Stranorlar, and the preaching station of Donegal town, were originally united under the pastorate of the minister of Gortlee.
During fifty years Mr. Gamble was unwearied in his work. He said near the end of his life that he was indebted to his congregation only three days’ preaching, a wonderful testimony to the goodness of God in giving him health for the performance of his work. In his home life he seems to have been happy. His wife was a Miss Art, from near Stranorlar. He had a large family, with whose history we are not acquainted. He may be said to have died in harness. Coming to assist Rev. Gordon T. Ewing at the communion in Derry in 1839, and having to ride in his own gig, he got himself severely wet. He performed his work in Derry with great difficulty, and returned to his home at Greenhill with the shadow of death on
_____
¹ The title deed of the ground at Convoy (Ballyboe) bears date 1802.
[Page 92]
him. The conduct of his own communion he committed to Dr. W. J. Stavely. Mr. Gamble was present himself at the communion at Gortlee, and was prevailed on to address the communicants at one table, but he broke down through weakness and had to resume his seat. Soon after he died at Greenhill, Letterkenny, 6th August, 1839, aged 77. His remains were interred at Gortlee, and a tablet with suitable inscription was erected to his memory.
Only one production of Mr. Gamble’s pen has found its way into print, and even this only saw the light in 1880, many years after his death. It is edited by Rev. S. Patton, M.A., the subject, “The Glory of Christ,” being an exposition of a portion of Psalm xcvii., and a lecture on Hebrews xi. 1-4. On reading it one cannot help regretting that he did not publish many of his sermons during his own life.
Mr. Gamble was an able minister, a zealous member of the Covenanting Church, and an upright Christian man.