Cameronian facts for kids
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The Cameronians were a special group of Scottish Covenanters. They followed the ideas of a leader named Richard Cameron. Most of them were people who signed a document called the Sanquhar Declaration in 1680. They were also known as "Society Men," "Sanquharians," or "Hillmen."
The "Societies of Cameronians" started around 1681. These groups aimed to keep the Presbyterian way of worship. After 1688, the Covenanters became more organized. They formed local Societies, which then joined together into larger groups called "Correspondences."
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What Did the Cameronians Believe?
The Cameronians published their beliefs in a document called "The Informatory Vindication" in 1687. They became very active in defending their Covenanter faith. While they were part of the Covenanter movement, they were only one section of it. Not all Covenanters joined their Societies.
Their Goals for the Church
The Cameronians wanted to bring back the church rules that were in place between 1638 and 1649. They were not happy with the changes made to the church in 1690.
After these changes, many Cameronians refused to join the new church. They also refused to promise loyalty to a ruler who did not follow their Covenants. This made it hard for them to have regular ministers. But in 1706, some people from the main church joined them, which helped their group grow.
Standing Up for Their Beliefs
The Cameronians strongly disagreed with the idea of Scotland and England joining together in 1707. They were thought to be involved in a small uprising in western Scotland in 1706. However, there is no proof they worked with the Jacobites, who supported the old royal family. They also did not cause trouble for the government in the uprisings of 1715 or 1745.
After the Revolution, many of their ministers had been killed or joined the Church of Scotland. The Cameronians found themselves without leaders. Eventually, John M'Millan and later Thomas Nairn joined them. This allowed them to form a "Presbytery," which is a church court made up of ministers and elders.
In 1743, they officially called themselves the Reformed Presbytery. Before this, they liked to be called "the Suffering Remnant of the true Presbyterian Church of Christ in Scotland."
Important Events and Growth
In 1712, the Cameronians publicly renewed their Covenants at Auchensaugh Hill in Lanarkshire. In 1713, they formed their first presbytery at Braehead. A presbytery was also formed in North America in 1774.
In 1863, the Reformed Presbyterians split. Most of them joined the Free Church of Scotland. A small group remained, and they are the last ones to carry on the Cameronian name. This group is still known as the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
The Cameronians in the Army
The British army had a regiment called the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). This regiment was directly connected to the Cameronian guard. It was first started in 1689 by James Douglas, Earl of Angus. This guard fought in the battle of Dunkeld and later helped bring order to the Highlands.
The regiment had some unique traditions. One was that every new soldier received a Bible. Another was that the troops always went to church services with their weapons. The service would only begin after guards were placed around the church building.
