Donald Cargill (1619-1681), a Scottish Puritan died in 1681, and his last words were recorded saying, “The Lord knows I go on this ladder with less fear and perturbation of mind than ever I entered the pulpit to preach.”
Cargill grew up in a Christian home, but during a trying season in his adolescence, he struggled with depression and doubt. One day, his mental struggle became so strong that he contemplated taking his own life by hurling himself into a coal pit, but when he stood over the coal pit, the voice of the Lord came to his mind. He recounts the voice as saying, “Son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven.” Cargill left the coal pit with peace and was never tempted to harm himself again. This experience resulted in a longing to help others which gave him the desire to study philosophy at the University of St. Andrews, graduating in divinity in 1652. Cargill’s father encouraged him to be a minister, but Cargill refused as he told his father, “The work of the ministry is too great a burden for my weak shoulders.” After more dialog with his father and praying, fasting, and reading of Scripture he finally accepted the call to the ministry. Cargill was only an ordained minister of the Barony Church in Glasgow for seven years.
Cargill was only a minister at the church for seven years because he refused to align himself with the Restoration of King Charles II. Two years after the Restoration of Charles II, Cargill lost his license as a preacher for preaching against the king and rules. As a result, Cargill had to go into hiding but kept preaching in the fields. He was involved in many battles in Scotland which opposed the king. These battles were costly, and some left him seriously wounded. However, he survived, went to Holland for a short while, and then came back to join Richard Cameron (1648-1680) in preaching in the fields throughout Scotland.
Cargill was a wanted man. He could not stay in one place for too long, so as a sojourner, he preached where he could. He had no family, and historians say that his family was the people who came to hear him preach. Many people traveled great distances as he proclaimed the Word of God.
Cargill said, “Those who know themselves best will fear themselves the most.” His preaching always emphasized the depravity of the human heart, but he always brought in the Gospel. So, after exposing the sin, he would point people to Jesus as the only one who could forgive, even the vilest of sinners. Cargill was unique in his preaching, he did not preach as long as other Puritan preachers, and some were disappointed. Cargill knew his limits and found if his heart was not sturred by the Scripture it would leave little impact on others as he would be relying on his strength.
In 1680, Cargill preached for his friend Richard Cameron’s funeral service. Afterward, he held a massive meeting at Torwood where in the name of Jesus Christ he “excommunicated King Charles II” and declared Christ was the only supreme head of the church. When the king got word of Cargill’s message, there was an even greater incentive to capture him. The government offered a large amount of money to anyone who would catch him, dead or alive.
While on the run, Cargill connected with a man named Henry Hall (unknown-1680). One day, Cargill and Hall sat in a quiet inn in Scotland in 1680. A spy was sent to capture the two men, but the ministers drew their swords and refused arrest, but the man who was seeking their arrest attacked first, seriously injuring Cargill. Hall wrestled with the spy, trying to seize his sword, and Cargill escaped. Hall attempted to escape himself, but a waiter struck him on the back of the head with the knob on the grip of his sword. Hall died shortly afterward. Cargill, bleeding badly, crawled into a dark alley and passed out. A Christian woman found him and brought him to a doctor to fix his wounds. After resting that night in a barn, he got up in the morning (still bleeding) to preach in the open air on a hillside.
The Bishop of Edinburgh said that Cargill was a man who was “demented and mad,” and his actions were “treasonable and sacrilegious.” Not wavering on his convictions, Cargill was committed to proclaiming Christ against the false teachings of the monarchs.
After twenty years on the run, Cargill was captured and arrested on July 27, 1681. He was brought to Edinburgh and sentenced to be hung. Awaiting his sentencing, Cargill had a visit from a Christian woman concerned about his wellbeing. With no fear in his voice, he responded, “Do not be troubled, for all they can do to me will be to hang me up, cut me down, chop off my old head, and [so] farewell to them. They will be done with me and I with them. Forever.” On the day of his hanging, he was led to the scaffold with a Bible in hand and began to preach boldly despite the king’s drummers trying to drown out his speech. He approached his death with joy bidding farewell to all earthly pleasures and knowing that he would be united with his Heavenly Father for eternity.
Christians today may not face the same persecution that Donald Cargill experienced, but his life is one where he had eternity with Christ always at the forefront of his mind. While history may show that he had a temper, we need to remember that he was a sinner saved by grace who had problems like the rest of us humans. What can be noted of his life is that he was a confident man. His confidence was built upon knowing his Savior and seeing his Savior as precious. Cargill knew that Christ was with him through good times and bad and that meant he could boldly be a man of the gospel who was unashamed of his convictions.