大象传媒

Bha Gilleasbaig, no Archibald, Cook na聽sh脿r-shearmonaiche. Bha e na mhinistear聽anns an Eaglais Shaoir ann an Deimhidh,聽faisg air Inbhir Nis. Bha sin ann am聽meadhan an naoidheamh linn deug. Bha聽na ceudan a鈥� dol a dh鈥櫭╥steachd ris na聽searmonan aige. Bha e a鈥� searmonachadh聽ann an G脿idhlig agus ann am聽Beurla. 鈥橲 e coitheanalan G脿idhlig a bha聽aige anns gach 脿ite far an robh e na聽mhinistear. Bha sin ann an Gallaibh,聽Inbhir Nis agus Deimhidh.聽Bha beachdan neo-脿bhaisteach聽aig Cook air cuid de rudan. Bha e dhen聽bheachd gun robh anam duine a鈥� tighinn聽bho a ph脿rantan. Bha a鈥� chuid mh貌r anns聽an eaglais aige dhen bheachd gun robh聽an t-anam a鈥� tighinn bho Dhia.聽Agus cha robh Cook taiceil don聽iomairt an aghaidh deoch l脿idir. Bha聽m貌ran anns an Eaglais Shaoir an聽aghaidh deoch l脿idir. Bha Cook dhen聽bheachd gur e 霉rachadh spioradail a bha聽a dh矛th air daoine. Cha robh e a鈥櫬燾oimhead air seachnadh deoch l脿idir mar聽霉rachadh spioradail.聽Agus bha Cook an aghaidh ce貌l is聽dannsadh. Bha e dhen bheachd gun robh聽iad peacach. Ach cha robh e leis fh猫in聽anns a鈥� bheachd sin.聽Bha Cook gu l脿idir an aghaidh聽nam fuadaichean. Eadhon ann an聽Deimhidh bha fuadaichean a鈥� tachairt.聽Bha sin aig deireadh nan caogadan. Bha聽rup ann airson cHroitean. Bha daoine a鈥櫬爁aighinn croit air mh脿l. Bha am m脿l a鈥櫬燿ol suas. Bha daoine bochda air an cur a-mach聽脿s na croitean aca. 鈥淪anntaichidh聽iad fearann an n脿baidh,鈥� thuirt Cook mu聽na daoine a bha a鈥� cur feadhainn eile a-mach.聽Mus deach Cook gu Deimhidh,聽bha coitheanal ann an Canada ga聽iarraidh mar mhinistear. Bha sin ann an聽Ceap Breatainn. Dh鈥檌arr iad air a鈥櫬爉hinistear ainmeil thall an sin 鈥� an聽t-Urramach Tormod MacLe貌id 鈥撀爏gr矛obhadh gu Cook. Rinn MacLe貌id聽sin. Chaidh litrichean eadar MacLe貌id is聽Cook. Ach tha e coltach gun do ch脿in聽MacLe貌id Cook. B鈥� e sin deireadh a鈥櫬爂hnothaich. Dh鈥檉huirich Cook ann an聽Alba.聽Dh鈥檉huiling Cook str貌can. Chaochail聽e ann an ochd ceud deug, seasgad聽鈥檚 a c貌ig (1865). Ach tha daoine ga聽chuimhneachadh fhathast ann an Deimhidh聽is Srath Narann.

Archibald Cook was a famous聽preacher. He was a minister in the聽Free Church in Daviot, near聽Inverness. That was in the middle聽of the 19th Century. Hundreds went聽to listen to his sermons. He was聽preaching in Gaelic and English.聽It is Gaelic congregations he had聽in every place where he was a聽minister. That was in Caithness,聽Inverness and Daviot.聽Cook had unusual opinions聽on some things. He was of the聽opinion that the soul of a man聽came from his parents. Most of the聽people in his church were of the聽opinion that the soul came from聽God.聽And Cook wasn鈥檛 supportive聽of the campaign against alcohol.聽Many in the Free Church were聽against alcohol. Cook was of the聽opinion that people needed聽spiritual renewal. He didn鈥檛 look聽on the avoidance of alcohol as聽spiritual renewal.聽And Cook was against music聽and dancing. He was of the聽opinion that they were sinful. But聽he wasn鈥檛 alone in that opinion.聽Cook was strongly against the聽clearances. Even in Daviot clearances聽were happening. That was at聽the end of the fifties. There was an聽auction for crofts. People were聽renting a croft. The rent was聽increasing. Poor people were聽evicted from their crofts. 鈥淭hey聽covet their neighbour鈥檚 land,鈥� said聽Cook about the people that were聽putting others out.聽Before Cook went to Daviot,聽a congregation in Canada was聽wanting him as a minister. That聽was on Cape Breton Island. They聽asked the famous minister over聽there 鈥� Rev. Norman MacLeod 鈥撀爐o write to Cook. MacLeod did聽that. Letters passed between聽MacLeod and Cook. But it appears聽that MacLeod criticized Cook.聽That was the end of the matter.聽Cook remained in Scotland.聽Cook suffered strokes. He聽died in 1865. But people still聽remember him in Daviot and聽Strathnairn聽