Buckie Methodist Church, North Pringle Street,
Buckie, AB56 1HR
Minister : Rev Andrew Webb
John Wesley paid 22 visits to Scotland between 1751 and 1790 and, on five occasions, he included Buckie or at least Banffshire in his itinerary.
On 4th June John Wesley arrived in Keith and was warmly received by the parish minister, Rev Mr Gordon. On Friday evening he preached in the market place to a crowd of 100 people and, on Saturday, he rested.
At 9 o'clock on Sunday morning he again preached in the market place to more than two hundred people. At 3 o'clock that afternoon he preached, by invitation of the minister, in Keith Parish Church. The service was charged with a spiritual power so that "many of the stout-hearted trembled". In the evening he was back in the market place preaching to the people from the text "where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched".
Among those who heard Wesley preach on that day were some people from BUCKIE . These people were deeply moved by what they heard and, on their return to Buckie, a Methodist Society came into being. A church was built in Low Street and it was dedicated to the Glory of God and set apart for worship by Rev John Doncaster and Rev James Anderson in 1791. This church was the first Christian building to be erected in Buckie.
In 1831 a minister was appointed to Buckie and, from that date until 1834, Buckie had its own minister. During 1834 the minister was withdrawn by order of the Wesleyan Methodist Conference for financial reasons.
When the Napoleonic wars came to an end in 1815, the Government kept its promise and repealed Income Tax. When this happened, the Government introduced indirect taxation. The Buckie society had borrowed money to build the church. It was crippled by heavy interest charges which had to be met annually and by the tax on fishing boats, boat equipment, bread and salt. By 1836 it was deemed necessary to permit Rev John Moir, the Rector of Arradoul Episcopal Church to rent Buckie Methodist Church and, in 1841, it was sold to the Episcopalians for £75.
Between 1835 and 1860, the Methodist Church in Buckie ceased to exist but, in February 1860, a Peterhead cooper named JAMES TURNER, led a mission to the Free Church, Buckie, where, at his first service, over 1,000 people attended. Hundreds of people were converted - among them a young man, aged 21, named JAMES RIACH. He became the driving force behind the new Buckie Society of the people called Methodists.
The original Buckie Methodist Church died in 1835, rose again in 1860 and, from that date, church services were held in the Good Templars Hall until 27th MARCH 1907 when the present church was opened and dedicated to the Glory of God.
In summary The Methodist Church in Buckie was born in 1779, died in 1835,
rose again in 1860 and, in 1997, IS STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE.
JAMES RIACH (October 1839 - October 1871) - a potted history of him, taken from a book written in February 1872.
Nearly at the most westerly point of the Banffshire coast, stands the fishing village of Buckie, the inhabitants of which have, for generations past, been considered among the bravest and most enterprising seamen in all our Scottish coast.
During the winter of 1859-60 James Turner of Peterhead was led by the Spirit of God to make an evangelistic tour along the coast from Peterhead to Speymouth, preaching the everlasting gospel of God's grace.
Hundreds and thousands flocked to hear from his lips the words of life. Truly the Lord was with him and the Holy Spirit carried the word home to the hearts of many with mighty power; and many were enabled to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to the saving of their precious souls.
At length James Turner reached Buckie. He met with considerable opposition at first but, nevertheless, kept preaching salvation through faith in a Saviour's shed blood. It was at one of these meetings that James Riach, aged 21, came under the power of the word and he was convicted of sin by the Spirit of the Lord. God sent His mighty life-giving Spirit to breathe new life into James Riach - all old things passed away and all things had become new.
Our young convert, having to go to sea, it seems at first was pretty much tempted in various ways even to doubting the existence of God and his own conversion. However, in God's providence, his occupation brought him to Peterhead where he met Mr Turner whose advice for James was to begin to work for Christ in persuading sinners to be reconciled to God. After due consideration, he devoted himself anew to God, and began to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified to a lost and perishing world. It was then that his piece of mind returned and his spiritual strength was renewed. Thus he became determined to be a faithful soldier of the cross, preaching the word of life wherever he went.
If there was one part of James Riach's character than shone with more lustre than another, it was his faithfulness to that God who had done so great things for him. From the time of his conversion to the hour of his death, no one challenged his sincerity, or point to any dark spot in his Christian life. During the 13 years of his Christian life he was meek and lowly, often preferring others to himself. But, at the same time, he was bold and valiant for the truth, always supporting his arguments by Holy Scriptures, which he studied much, digesting their glorious truths and putting them in practice in every-day life.
His labours in preaching the word have seldom if ever been surpassed by any poor man who had his own and his family's bread to earn. Truly, he "got his bread at the peril of his life", like many more of his seafaring brethren. When driven by storm or stress of weather to the Caithness coast, if in health, he was sure to be testifying for Christ in the streets or lanes or any places provided for the purpose, however humble. He took no thought whether it was Sabbath or Saturday, whether his clothes were Sabbath or every-day, but just as he was, in his heavy sea boots and fisher garb, he stood up and spoke the words of eternal life to the listening hundreds. Dunbeath, Helmsdale, Portmahommack, Lossiemouth, all without exception heard from his lips the gospel of God's grace.
At the time of the herring fishing in Peterhead, when multitudes of fishermen were collected from all parts of the Scottish coast, his noble form would often be seen standing erect amidst thousands who were eagerly listening to his sweet but manly voice, preaching of the love of God who sent into this sinful world His only begotten Son to suffer and bleed and die, in order that sinners might be saved.
He was faithful in declaring both the threatenings and the promises of God, but he glorified in the cross of Christ. Having felt the power and virtue of the blood shed on the cross in the forgiveness of his own sins, he could with all confidence recommend sinners of every class and grade to "behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world". And frequently mighty power accompanied the word spoken, so that many believed on the Lord Jesus Christ to the saving of their souls.
Away too among the rocky shores of the Western Isles of Scotland, his voice was often heard above the waves of the mighty Atlantic, during the time of the Lewis herring fishing. In the moral wastes of the island of Barra, where ignorance and superstition reign triumphant, his voice was often heard like another John the Baptist in the wilderness of Judea, crying "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." It mattered not where he was, or how he was situated, he was always ready to do his Master's will.
A detailed account of all his works of faith and labours of love would fill a large volume, but we may say in a word and truly, his meat and drink was doing the will of God. Would that this could be said of all who profess to believe in the Lord Jesus.
His doctrinal views were those held by the Wesleyan Methodists. He held office in the Wesleyan Church at Portessie, as a local preacher and class leader. He believed and preached that God is no respecter of persons, and that Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, "tasted death for every man". Another reason of his success was his unshaken faith in God, and his entire dependence on the mighty life-giving Spirit to carry home with power the truths which proceeded out of his mouth.
As a local preacher he was well received; his discourses were plain but always full of gospel truths. He glorified especially in Christ's atoning work, and in His precious blood. As a class leader he was kind and affectionate, without departing from faithfulness. He gave encouragement when needed, and reproof where it was required; always ready with a word in season to the weary, so that all were edified and built up in the faith. He was faithful to the members of his class, faithful to the Church to which he belonged; he was faithful to the Word and faithful to his God and Saviour - and God blessed him. For several days previous to his departure from this world it was noticed that he was much more earnest than usual. You could see that his whole soul was in his discourses. He was fast ripening for glory, although unknown to himself and his fellow townsmen. No one suspected that the manly form, going down to his boat in the harbour, in the full vigour of his manhood, was to return no more. He went boldy to sea and sailed bravely over the briny waves as he had often done before, singing the songs of Zion, or speaking the words of the Kingdom to the crew, as was his wont to every crew with whom he sailed.
On the fatal night the boat was returning homeward to Buckie from the fishing ground; whilst engaged in some necessary operation when the boat was "tacking", he accidentally fell overboard. Nothing could be done for him. His hour had come. On the night of the 4th October, in the 32nd year of his age, the cold pitiless sea opened its cheerless bosom and closed over the mortal remains of our much beloved brother.
ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord".
James Riach left a young widow and five fatherless children. Before his eyes closed in death he had had the satisfaction of seeing his wife "married to the Lord".