06/02/2004

Ann am meadhan an naoidheamh linn deug, bha aig a h-uile proifeasair oilthigh ann an Alba ri dearbhadh gu robh e na Phròstanach. Gu dearbh, bha earrann ann an Cunnradh an Aonaidh (eadar Alba is Sasainn) a dh’iarr air a h-uile proifeasair cumail ris an doigh-adhraidh a bh’ aig Eaglais na h-Alba. Agus, a bharrachd air sin, b’ fheudar dha gabhail gu poblach ri Aidmheil Westminster. ’S e “Deuchainnean Oilthigh” a chainte ris na gnothaichean seo.

Bha am fear mu dheireadh dhiubh sin na dhuilgheadas do dh’Iain Stiùbhart Blackie. Nuair a fhuair e cuireadh a bhith na phroifeasair ann an Obar Dheathain ann an ochd ceud deug, trithead ’s a naoi (1839), chuir e ainm ris an Aidmheil mu choinneimh buill Clèir Obair Dheathain na h-Eaglaise. Ach an uair sin, dh’iarr e orra cothrom a thoirt dha rudeigin a mhìneachadh dhaibh.

Thuirt e riutha gu robh e na charaid don Eaglais, agus gur e an nòs adhraidh aca an seòrs’ a b’ fheàrr leis. Ach thuirt e cuideachd nach robh e fiosrachail gu leòr mu dhiadhachd airson aontachadh ris an Aidmheil gu lèir. Agus dh’iarr e air a’ Chlèir cur air clàr na coinneimh gun do chuir e ainm-sgrìobhte ris dìreach mar phroifeasair agus nach do rinn e sin ann an seagh prìobhaideach.

Bha cuid de na buill mì-thoilichte agus dhiùlt iad gabhail ri mhìneachadh. Mar sin, chuir Blackie a bheachdan gu pàipear-naidheachd, agus cha b’ fhada gus an robh fios aig a’ mhòr-shluagh gu dè bh’ air tachairt. Tuigidh sibh gun do chuir sin an clamhan am measg nan cearc.

Dh’iarr a’ Chlèir air Blackie coinneachadh riutha a-rithist, agus an teisteanas a thug iad dha, agus a leig leis a bhith na phroifeasair, a thoirt air ais. Thug iad an teisteanas dha mus do mhìnich e a bheachd air Aidmheil Westminster. Bha cuid dhen bheachd gu robh e seòlta ann a bhith a’ faighinn an teisteanais gun a bhith ag ràdh guth ro làimh mu na teagamhan aige.

Chaidh Blackie a Dhùn Eideann far an d’ fhuair e comhairle bho charaidean a bha nan luchd-lagha. Chomhairlich iad dha gun an teisteanas a thoirt air ais agus gun a bhith a’ nochdadh aig coinneamh na Clèir. An àite sin, sgrìobh e litir gu Modaràtor na Clèir, a’ mìneachadh na cùise dha. Rinn Blackie sgaradh eadar proifeasairean Diadhachd agus proifeasairean chuspairean eile, agus bha e airson ’s nach biodh aig a leithid-san ri gabhail ri Aidmheil Westminster.

Chaidh a’ chùis air ais ’s air adhart eadar luchd-lagha, luchd-stiùiridh an oilthigh, agus Clèir na h-Eaglaise, agus chaidh dà bhliadhna seachad mus d’ fhuair Blackie cead a chathair a ghabhail. Chuir e seachad an ùine sin ann an Dùn Eideann, a’ sgrìobhadh airson irisean, is a’ leughadh is a’ rannsachadh litreachas Greugach is Gearmailteach. Thill e don oilthigh ann an Obar Dheathain as t-fhoghar ochd ceud deug, ceathrad ’s a h-aon (1841).

Tha fo-sgrìobhadh inntinneach ann don ghnothach. Am measg buill Clèir Obair Dheathain, bha feadhainn a bhiodh a’ fàgail Eaglais na h-Alba anns an sgaradh mhòr a bha gu bhith ann dìreach dà bhliadhna as dèidh do dh’Iain Blackie tòiseachadh na dhreuchd – sgaradh ris an can mòran “Briseadh na h-Eaglaise”. Às dèidh a’ bhrisidh, bha na Deuchainnean Oilthigh air an cleachdadh airson muinntir na h-Eaglaise Saoire a chumail a-mach à cathraichean oilthigh. Bha ùpraid ann mu dheidhinn, agus fhuaradh cuidhteas na Deuchainnean deich bliadhna às dèidh an sgaraidh.

’S e annas eachdraidh a th’ ann gu robh an gnothach a thòisich Iain Blackie air a thoirt gu buil leis an fheadhainn a bh’ air a bhith gu dubh na aghaidh dìreach dusan bliadhna roimhe.

Faclan na seachdaine: Cunnradh an Aonaidh: The Treaty of Union; nòs adhraidh: manner of worship; cuireadh: invitation; Aidmheil Wesminster: Westminster Confession (of Faith); seòlta: cunning; Modaràtor: Moderator; as t-fhoghar: in the autumn; fo-sgrìobhadh: postscript; ùpraid: uproar; annas: oddity..

Abairtean na seachdaine: bha aig a h-uile X ri dearbhadh: every X had to prove; ’s e Deuchainnean Oilthigh a chainte ri X: X were called University Tests; bha am fear mu dheireadh dhiubh sin na dhuilgheadas do: the last of those was a difficulty for; mu choinneimh buill Clèir Obair Dheathain na h-Eaglaise: in front of the Aberdeen Presbytery of the Church; rudeigin a mhìneachadh dhaibh: to explain something to them; nach robh e fiosrachail gu leòr mu dhiadhachd: that he was not well enough informed about theology; gun do chuir e ainm-sgrìobhte ris dìreach mar phroifeasair: that he only signed it as a professor; ann an seagh prìobhaideach: in a private sense; dhiùlt iad gabhail ri mhìneachadh: they refused to accept his explanation; a leig leis a bhith na phroifeasair: which allowed him to be a professor; bho charaidean a bha nan luchd-lagha: from friends who were lawyers; nach biodh aig a leithid-san ri gabhail ri X: that his sort [ie non theology professors] would not have to accept X; mus d’ fhuair e cead a chathair a ghabhail: before he got permission to take his seat; Briseadh na h-Eaglaise: The Great Disruption [of the Church of Scotland in 1843]; airson muinntir na h-Eaglaise Saoire a chumail a-mach: to keep out the Free Church people; fhuaradh cuidhteas na Deuchainnean: the Tests were abolished; air a thoirt gu buil: brought to a conclusion; gu dubh an aghaidh: strongly opposed to him.

Puing-ghràmair na seachdaine: Chomhairlich iad dha gun an teisteanas a thoirt air ais: they advised him not to give back the certificate. You will no doubt recognise the verb comhairleachadh which is related to the nouns comhairle (advice, counsel, council), comhairleach (adviser) and comhairliche (councillor). But why didn’t I say “chomhairlich iad e”? The reason is that this verb takes the preposition “do”. This will often involve prepositional pronouns eg chomhairlich mi dhi (I advised her), chomhairlich sinn dhaibh (we advised them). Any noun governed by the verb will be in the dative case following the preposition eg chomhairlich mi don bhalach sin... (I advised that lad...). But be aware also that idiomatically it is often preferable to say eg thug mi comhairle dha (I advised him) or thug i comhairle dhomh (she advised me), rather than use the verb comhairleachadh.

Gnàths-cainnt na seachdaine: gun do chuir sin an clamhan am measg nan cearc: that that put the hawk amongst the hens (a Gaelic equivalent to the “cat among the pigeons”).